JOSIAH Ng made history in the 2018 Asian Games when he coached Thailand’s Jai Angsuthasawit to an unexpected Gold Medal in the Keirin final. Jai defeated a very high-profile Malaysian cyclist, which upset many Malaysian sports fans.
Josiah then replied on social media platforms during the Games and said, “Why is everyone getting upset? This is my rice bowl and my job.”
Josiah was then considered for a coaching role in the National High Performance Cycling Program, but the role did not materialise.
Not long after, Josiah was recruited as the Head Coach of the Sarawak SUKMA cycling team. The SUKMA games are a biennial multi-sport development competition for young Malaysian athletes.
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the SUKMA Johor games will now take place in 2022; competition dates are not officially confirmed.
At the start of this month and before our current lockdown, I had a friendly catch-up with Josiah and got a short update on his team.
Ben: The SUKMA dates have now been changed. Share with us your views.
Josiah: This change is beneficial as it gives us more time to close the gap between my squad and the stronger states.
Ben: Tell us about your current cycling squad.
Josiah: They range from 16 to 21 years of age. They all have potential and a wide range of abilities. They work hard and I challenge them every day to make them better.
Ben: What are your expectations for SUKMA 2022?
Josiah: I believe we have the potential to bring home the medals, especially in track endurance and mountain bike.
During our meetup, I wanted to ask Josiah more questions, but he was stretched for time as it was his wife’s birthday. Josiah, who’s a good friend, has always been accommodating and I really appreciate the time we had despite his busy schedule.
Josiah also runs a training and development business called Sports Empowered. He is also a brand-new father who has a very hands-on approach when it comes to raising his daughter Athena.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all SUKMA athletes the very best of luck in their preparation for SUKMA 2022. ─ The Vibes, 17 January, 2021
Ben Ibrahim is a TV commentator, sports & media consultant. In his career, he has worked for FIBA, FISU, Fox Sports, and the Ministry of Youth & Sports. He has also set-up the Malaysia Valke Rugby Club for the 2019 & 2020 Global Rapid Rugby competition. You can contact him on his public Facebook page or through his Instagram account @benibrahim
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