Nur Aisyah shows potential to be next top women cyclist

Star in the making: Nur Aisyah Mohd Zubir (third from left) of Terengganu posing with the women’s elite 31km individual road time trial gold medal at the National Road Championships in Pahang on Sunday. Johor’s Noor Azian Alias (second from left) and Police’s Siti Fatimah Ismail bagged the silver and bronze medal.

PETALING JAYA: Youngster Nur Aisyah Mohd Zubir is right on track to becoming the next top woman road cyclist for Malaysia at the Philippines SEA Games in December.

The 21-year-old finished a close second (3’37:48) behind 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games silver medallist Jupha Somnet (3’36:46) in the women’s elite 130km road race event at the National Road Cham­pionships at Fraser’s Hill in Pahang on Sunday.

The day before saw Nur Aisyah ride her way to gold for Terengganu in the women’s elite 31km individual road time trial event in 1’10:13.148 ahead of former SEA Games gold medallist Noor Azian Alias of Johor (1’14:19.905).

Nur Aisyah was delighted to finish on the podium in the two energy-sapping races.

“It was my target to get a medal although it was my first senior road competition and I was competing against many experienced cyclists.

“The national championships is the national selection for the SEA Games and the top three get in automatically, so I’m happy to go the distance,” said Nur Aisyah, who first made her name in the Perak Sukma (Malaysia Games) last year where she became the first cyclist to win seven gold medals in a single edition.

“I was told that the SEA Games route is hilly and almost the same as Fraser’s Hill but I’m comfortable with it. There’s no track events at the SEA Games, so I’m just focusing on the road events,” said Nur Aisyah.

Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) rider Nur Amirull Fakruddin Mazuki claimed the men’s elite 163km road race title.

The 27-year-old posted a winning time of 4’06:53 to beat Sapura Cycling Team’s Akmal Hakim Za­­karia (4’07:53).