KUALA LUMPUR – Nurul Izzah Izzati Asri is quickly establishing herself as the new star of Malaysian track cycling after winning her second Asian Track Cycling Championships gold medal in the women’s elite keirin event today.
Standing at 152cm tall, the diminutive sprinter displayed strategic finesse during the final draw, initially positioning herself in fourth place in the tournament taking place in New Delhi, India.
However, as the race intensified, she astutely manoeuvred to second to last place, that is until the motorbike left the track.
Teammate Anis Amira Rosidi led the peloton, with three riders attempting to break away, including China’s Tong Mengqi and Nurul Izzah herself.
Despite the pressure, the 21-year-old Malaysian maintained composure, matching the pace of the Chinese rider and stayed calm biding her time to pounce.
When the bell rang signalling the final lap, Mengqi attempted to drop Nurul Izzah but the Kedahan kept her cool and was not tempted to waste energy too early.
As they approached the final bend, Nurul Izzah turned on the afterburners and left Mengqi in her wake going into the final straight away and crossing the finish line in first place comfortably.
Anis Amira added joy to the Malaysian camp by finishing in third.
This is Nurul Izzah’s second Asian title after winning her pet 500m time trial in 2022 at the age of 19.
Despite being unable to defend her title last year, she showcased her resilience by clinching silver.
Earlier in this year’s tournament, Nurul Izzah demonstrated her versatility by claiming silver alongside Anis Amira and Nur Aliana Syafika Azizan in the women’s team sprint event.
She then backed that up with a bronze in the individual sprint event on Friday. – February 25, 2024