NILAI: Newly crowned Asian champion Sawda Hasbullah has earned a first for Malaysian cycling. She is now a world record holder with her winning time in the girls’ junior 1km time trial on Sunday recognised by International Cycling Union (UCI). The 17-year-old clocked 1:10.818s to smash the previous Asian junior record held by Taiwan’s Liu Shan-ying, who had set 1:12.722s during the qualifying round at the Asian Championships at the National Velodrome in Nilai on Sunday.Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) president Datuk Amarjit Singh hailed Sawda Sawda’s historic feat after securing official world record recognition for her sensational ride.“We completed all the formalities and wrote to the UCI to have it certified."This is a proud moment for Malaysian cycling."To have a world record under the UCI system is a historic first for the country and it will inspire young athletes to aim higher."The 1km time trial is a newly introduced event for women, replacing the previous 500m distance.
