KUALA LUMPUR: Track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang will lead a 10-member team as they aim to make a head start in qualifying for next year’s Paris Olympics when they compete in the Nations Cup in Jakarta from Feb 23-26.
Besides Azizul, the other cyclists are Shah Firdaus Sahrom, Fadhil Zonis, Ridhwan Sahrom, Amar Danial Masri, Ahmad Safwan Nazeri, Anis Amira Rosidi, Nurul Izzah Izzati Asri, Nur Aisyah Zubir and Nurul Aliana Syafiqah.
The Jakarta leg is the first of three Nations Cup stops organised by cycling’s governing body, UCI, this year.
The other two are in Cairo from March 14-17 and Milton, Canada from April 20-23.
The Malaysian National Cycling Federation vice-president Datuk Amarjit Singh said the National Sports Council (NSC) have agreed to fund the cyclists for the first-two legs.
“Although the budget have not been approved yet, NSC have agreed to provide the funds for competition where our cyclists need to collect points until March,” said Amarjit after the joint-committee meeting with NSC in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
“The Nations Cup legs in Jakarta and Cairo have been approved and we are happy that our athletes will be able to have an early start to begin their quest to qualify for the Olympics.
“Azizul will return to Malaysia end of this month and will train with the others for two weeks before the competition.”
