PHNOM PENH – The national road race cycling squad missed a golden start to cycling competitions in the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games when gold medal hopeful Nur Amirul Fakhruddin was pipped at the finishing line by Indonesian rider Terry Yudha Kusuma in the men’s criterium.
In the criterium event that started in front of the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap which is situated about 320km from Phnom Penh, Amirul lost the gold medal by half-a-tyre’s length at the finishing line.
The Terengganu Cycling Team rider clocked 1h 13m 38s for the silver while Ronald Nozuelo Oranza from the Philippines settled for the bronze after finishing one second behind both the front two riders.
Though disappointed with the outcome, the Terengganu-born Amirul said he had tried his best.
“My teammate Akmal Hakim (Zakaria) and I had planned the right strategy when heading to the finish line but the Indonesian rider came through to win by a slight margin,” he said.
Akmal finished the race in sixth spot with a time of 1’13:40s while another Malaysian rider in the competition, Muhammad Nur Aiman Mohd Zariff finished in 13th spot with a time of 1’15:15s.
There was also disappointment in the women’s criterium event as Nur Aisyah Mohammad Zubir managed only a bronze after clocking 55m 19s to retain her bronze medal position achieved at the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games last year.
Thailand’s Jutatip Maneephan took the gold while Vietnam’s Pro Tour Vietnam rider Thi That Nguyen finished second.
Two other Malaysian riders in the competition – Zhen Yi Yeong and Siti Nur Adibah Akma Mohd Fuad – finished in 11th and 13th spots.
Meanwhile, national road cycling coach Sayuti Mohd Zahit said Amirul had a good chance of winning the gold but the Indonesian threw everything into the race to pip him.
“Malaysia failed to win any medals from criterium during the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games last year.
“Therefore, I believe the silver and bronze achievement will inspire the riders to defend the gold medal during the Mass Start,” he said. – Bernama, May 11, 2023
