PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will not be sending any cyclists for the men’s track endurance events at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
The four track endurance disciplines contested at the July 23-Aug 3 Games are the individual pursuit, team pursuit, 40km points race and 20km scratch race.
“Our track endurance riders are not up to scratch. We don’t want to participate just to make up the numbers,” said national head coach John Beasley.
There are six riders – Amir Mustafa Rusli, Mohd Adiq Husainie Othman, Hamdan Hamidun, Sofian Nabil Omar Bakri, Mohd Harrif Salleh, and Mohd Farid Razali – involved in track endurance races.
Beasley said the team pursuit quartet of Amir, Mohd Adiq, Sofian and junior Mohd Fairet Rosli performed below par at last month’s Asian Championships in Kazakhstan.
The Malaysians posted a poor qualifying time of 4:21.143 to finish seventh out of 10 teams. Even Kazakhstan, who qualified sixth fastest, was almost five seconds faster than Malaysia with a time of 4:16.692. China, who beat Hong Kong to win the gold, clocked 4:06.546 to top the qualifying.
All the six riders, however, will prepare for the Incheon Asian Games from Sept 19-Oct 4.
Australian Beasley said the cyclists must rise above themselves.
“They have to improve their attitude if they want to move forward. They’ve yet to perform consistently and that is something that needs to change.
“If we don’t see any improvements, they will not be going to the Asiad,” said Beasley.
Malaysia, however, will have a representative – Ju Pha Som Net – in the women’s track endurance event in Glasgow. At the Asian Championships, she won the bronze in the 20km points race.
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