The decision to stay back, after the Cali round of the World Cup the previous week, to compete in the Gran Caracol Da Pista proved right as Josiah Ng blazed his way to a surprise gold in the scratch while Azizulhasni Awang and Fatehah Mustapa finished with bronze in the respective men’s and women’s sprint.
Josiah finished ahead of Holland riders Roy Van Den Berg and Albert Hugo to win the 10km scratch race.
Azizul continued with his impressive comeback by taking a well deserved bronze in the men’s sprint won by 2009 world champion Maximilian Levy of Germany.
Azizul had reached the keirin final in Cali but a crash spoiled his hopes of a podium finish and he eventually placed fifth. The two-time World Championship finalist was riding in only his second competition since suffering a career threatening calf injury in Manchester in February.
It was also a most satisfying campaign for top national woman cyclist Fatehah. The 22-year-old, who reached the keirin final at the World Cup in Cali, made it to the podium in the sprint discipline won by Frenchwoman Sandie Clair.
Fatehah also finished fourth in the women’s scratch race and her performances indicate she is on the right track to realise her dream to be the first Malaysian woman to ride at the Olympics in London next year.
Fatehah shone in her second SEA Games appearance with three gold medals in the sprint, team sprint and 500m time trial in Indonesia last month and track team manager Datuk Naim Mohamad was impressed with her progress.
“It was good for her to end the year with a medal in her first outing in Colombia. This was a high quality meet as they only invited the top riders to stay back after the World Cup,” he said.
“Fatehah has really matured and is slowly making her mark in the World Cup series. We hope she can keep up the good work next year.”
THE STAR
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