Strong legs key to Kee’s two-gold success at national meet

Pedal to the metal: Kee Zhe Yie in action during the National Championships in Pagoh, Johor, yesterday.

PETALING JAYA: Cyclist Kee Zhe Yie is staking a strong claim to make the SEA Games road squad after a breakthrough outing for Terengganu at the National Championships in Pagoh, Johor.

The 21-year-old pulled away from the peloton at the half-way stage and never looked back to win the men’s Under-23 road race event yesterday.

Zhe Yie, who is a contracted rider with Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), was delighted to prevail against testing conditions towards the end of the 160.2km distance long race.

He finished the race in a time of 3’58:09 with Ridzuan Nasrul Firas of Team Aquatwo CycloMotion taking silver at 4’02:32.

It is the second gold medal for Zhe Yie who had won the road time trial event on Thursday.

“It was not an easy time for everybody as we had to climb hard in the final sector.

“I had been competing non-stop over the last two days, so I am happy I still got the legs for the road race today.

“I thank my coaches and teammates for putting in their share to make this victory possible.

“Two golds from this national meet for the first time and hopefully, it gets me closer to my goal of qualifying for the SEA Games in Thailand,” said the Dungun-born cyclist, who was also the gold medallist for Terengganu in the road time trial event at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Sarawak last year.

Mohd Hakimi Edy Sunarko of Perlis won the boys’ junior road race event earlier while Nur Aierin Wadhiah triumphed for Terengganu A in the women’s junior road race event.