Rider Firdaus finishes in style to bag two golds in junior events

By LIM TEIK HUAT

Impressive show: Muhd Firdaus Mohd Zonis (right) and Muhd Shah Sahrom in action during the South-East Asian Grand Prix men’s junior keirin final in Cheras Monday. —SHAHRUL FAZRY ISMAIL / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Muhd Firdaus Mohd Zonis earned his stripes in style by romping to a double to emerge as the most successful cyclist at the conclusion of the first leg of the South-East Asian Grand Prix at the Cheras Velodrome.

Firdaus, of the national Pelapis squad, rode as the starter to lead team-mates Muhd Shah Sahrom and Asyraf Naim Ying to the men’s junior team sprint title in 1:07.364 yesterday.

Their time was better than the 1:08.213 set by seniors Mohd Edrus Yunos, Mohd Fattah Amri Zaid and Arfy Qhairant Amran, who beat Brunei to the elite team sprint gold medal.

Firdaus went on to avenge his unexpected loss to team-mate Sahrom in the sprint final on Saturday by romping to victory in the keirin final yesterday and take his tally to three golds and one silver.

The 16-year-old Firdaus, who bagged the 1km time trial gold on Friday, was happy to complete his outing on a high.

“I lost the sprint gold to Sahrom on Saturday but I’m happy to come back well today.

“I blocked his path well and now I’ve been told that I’ve confirmed my place for the World Championships (in Glasgow) in August.

“The target was to get at least three gold medals.

“I’ll also be competing in the second leg this weekend and I’m aiming for a clean sweep this time,” said Firdaus, who put up a breathtaking performance at the Asian Cycling Championships in New Delhi in March.

He won golds in the 1km time trial, 200m sprint and keirin to become the second Malaysian after Azizulhasni Awang to claim the junior sprint treble.

Melbourne-based Fatehah Mustapa also lived up to her reputation as the top woman track cyclist after bagging two more golds to take her tally to three.

Fatehah was too powerful for the others as she breezed her way to the women’s elite keirin title ahead of nearest challenger Ummi Hamimah.

Fatehah and Ummi were gifted the team sprint title earlier after Jupha Somnet and Lauretta Eva Adrian were disqualified after twice coming out of the blocks too fast.

Fatehah took the women’s sprint on Saturday.

Shane Perkins, the 2011 keirin world champion, had to concede defeat to Australian team-mate Scott Sunderland in his pet event.

Peter Lewis completed a podium clean sweep for the Aussies by finishing ahead of two South Koreans – Kim Woo-yeong and Park Jin-chul – while Malaysia’s Muhd Edrus Yunos finished last in the six-man keirin final.