Junior cyclists making their mark on world stage‎

PETALING JAYA: The junior track cyclists are beginning to make their mark on the international stage.

Mohd Firdaus Zonis and Farina Shawati Mohd Adnan have vaulted into the top 10 of the world junior rankings for keirin.

Firdaus is now ranked second in the world behind Jaroslav Snasel of Czech Republic, thanks to his storming run in the keirin events in Hong Kong and Japan last month.

The 17-year-old Firdaus also won the sprint and 1km time trial at the Hong Kong Track Cup and both keirin races at the Japan Track Grand Prix Series in Shizuoka.

Firdaus was previously ranked 11th while another junior, Mohd Sahrom Shah, improved from No. 22 to No. 11 in keirin.

Firdaus is also second in the world junior rankings for the 1km time trial, behind Russia's Aleksandr Dubchenko of Russia. In the sprint, Firdaus is ranked fifth.

Farina, meanwhile, improved 10 spots to No. 5 in the girls' world junior rankings for keirin. The 17-year-old won the race in Hong Kong and finished runner-up in Shizuoka the following week.

She is ranked ninth for sprint and 11th for the 500m time trial.

Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) deputy president Datuk Naim Mohamad was pleased with the emergence of Malaysians in the top tier of world rankings for junior track cyclists.

"We've been talking about Azizulhasni (Awang), Josiah (Ng) and Fatehah (Mustapa) enjoying good world rankings positions all this while," he said.

"It's good that the juniors are now up there as well after doing well in Hong Kong and Japan, which are UCI-santioned events.

"We need to show there is continuity ... after Azizul and Josiah.

"The cyclists in the Pelapis (back-up) programme are doing well and we hope they will shine at their next big assignment – the Asian Cycling Championships in Kazakhstan at end of May."

Firdaus and Farina will lead the challenge for medals in the junior ranks.

Firdaus achieved a fantastic treble in last year's edition in New Delhi and will seek to retain the sprint, keirin and 1km individual time trial titles in Kazakhstan.

Farina has yet to climb to the top of the podium at the Asian meet. She got a bronze in sprint but finished fifth for keirin and 500m time trial.

The juniors train under former national coach Junaidi Nasir.