NILAI – National track cyclist Nurul Izzah Izzati Asri considers herself fortunate to be equipped with the same bike as national cycling icon Datuk Azizulhasni Awang, the WX-R Vorteq for the Paris Olympic Games in July.
In a surprising turn of events, Izzah was only informed of this news during a press conference with the Malaysia National Cycling Federation at the National Velodrome in Nilai today.
Previously, Izzah had been given the opportunity to test the bike several times, including during wind tunnel tests at Silverstone, United Kingdom, last week.
However, she did not expect to receive her own WX-R Vorteq for Paris.
For her, it is a privilege since previously only three cyclists on the national team had the chance to use the bike, namely Shah Firdaus Sahrom, Fadhil Zonis, and Azizul.
“I never imagined that I would have the chance to ride the same bike as them. The acquisition of this new bike is a morale booster for me, knowing that it was previously used by Datuk Azizulhasni himself.
“What I need to do in training is improve my positioning and courage for the keirin event. I also need to be more confident and improve my speed for the Olympics,” said Izzah.
The Kedah-born athlete made headlines when she secured a coveted spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics and she is set to compete in two events: the women’s elite sprint and the keirin.
Izzah has had a remarkable season so far, winning two gold medals in the women’s keirin and 500m time trial events at the ACC 2024 in New Delhi in February.
This achievement is particularly noteworthy as it mirrors Fatehah’s gold medal win in the women’s keirin event at the 2012 edition in Kuala Lumpur. – April 26, 2024