PETALING JAYA: National track cyclist Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom has paid tribute to outgoing technical director John Beasley, crediting the Australian with shaping him both as an athlete and a person.
The tribute follows Beasley’s final assignment with the national setup at the Shanghai World Championships before he departs for Japan to take up a new coaching role with their national track squad ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"You didn't just develop me as a rider; you helped shape the person I am today," said Shah Firdaus.
The 30-year-old Shah Firdaus competed exclusively in the men's team sprint event at the world championships due to his ongoing recovery from knee surgery.
Shah Firdaus, who first met Beasley at age 19, praised the coach for instilling enduring values within the team.
"We've shared the highest highs, standing on top of the podium together, and the lowest lows."
The 2025 Nations Cup gold medalist recalled a particularly challenging recovery period, noting that Beasley waited for him while he was in the operating room.
"I honestly couldn't imagine how long that wait must have felt for you."
Shah Firdaus, who won bronze at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, also shared lighter memories, joking that coaching had cost the 64-year-old his fingernails due to his habit of biting them while watching his riders race.
Despite wishing Beasley would extend his over two-decade tenure with the national team, Shah Firdaus sent his best wishes to the coach and his wife, Vicky, as they begin their new chapter in Japan.
"Malaysia will always be one of your homes, John. This is not goodbye," Shah Firdaus added.
