SHAH ALAM: Selangor's Hareez Naufal Syanizam became one of the youngest to win a track cycling discipline at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) stage when he pedalled his way to the men's scratch race final at the National Velodrome in Nilai.
The 17-year-old, who will be sitting for his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams end of this year, served up a big surprise for the hosts by beating riders in the national programme to win the 10km distance race.
After joining a small breakaway group roughly mid-way through the race, Hareez went on to clinch the gold after out-pacing Negri Sembilan's Haikal Fareez Rosli (silver) and Sarawak's Afif Darwysh Mohamad Nazir (bronze) at the finish.
It was his third gold medal of the Games after helping the Selangor road team win the men's team time trial and mass start road race earlier.
But yesterday's one was the prized medal as it came from the individual event after getting the better of more experienced competitors.
"I've been training for this for a long time but when I woke up today, it never crossed my mind that I would win the gold medal on the track," said Hareez.
"I focused on my own performance and when I got away in the breakaway, I just gave it 100 per cent until the finish line."
Hareez said he is looking to focus on his studies for the remainder of this year but may still race at the national meet later.
"I am sitting for my SPM exams end of this year, so I will have to focus on that.
"But I might still compete in the national road championships (road), so I will continue training as usual."
There were no surprises in the boys' and girls' individual sprint finals as national riders Adib Andhar Andan and Nur Alyssa Mohd Farid both powered to gold.
Adib downed Ahmad Zharif Ahmad Nazri of Johor 2-0 in the final to claim his second gold for Sarawak having won the keirin event on Saturday.
Selangor's Yu Jing Liang downed Negri's Luqman Haqim Ali Badrun to take the bronze.
Glasgow Commonwealth Games participant Alyssa also completed the sprint-keirin double by beating Selangor's Amber Yong Ann Tung 2-0 in the girls' sprint final.
National back-up rider Nur Umairah Qhaisara Zulfikha Razak beat Kedah's Nurain Syazwienafahmi Mohd Farid to secure the bronze.
FINAL RESULTS
Men
Sprint
For gold: Adib Andhar Andan (Swk) Ahmad Zharif Ahmad Nazri (Joh) 2-0.
For bronze: Yu Jing Liang (Sel) bt Mohd Luqman Haqim Badrun (Nse) 2-0.
Scratch final: 1. Hareez Naufal Syanizam (Sel), 2. Mohd Haikal Fareez Rosli (Nse), 3. Afif Darwysh Nazir (Swk).
Women
Sprint
For gold: Nur Alyssa Mohd Farid (Joh) bt Amber Yong Ann Tung (Sel) 2-0.
For bronze: Nur Umairah Qhaisara Zulfikha (Pen) bt Nurain Syazwienafahmi Mohd Farid (Ked) 2-0.
Scratch final: 1. Nurul Nabilah Mohd Asri (Ked), 2. Ameera Alya Zahirrudin (Ter), 3. Intan Nur Irdrisha Abdul Razak (Pen).
