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Tiga bulan paling getir

MASIH ada tiga bulan buat pelumba basikal negara untuk cuba mengumpulkan sebanyak mungkin mata sebelum senarai terakhir pelumba yang akan mewakili negara ke Sukan Olimpik London, diumumkan pada 8 April ini.

Kejohanan Lumba Berbasikal Asia (ACC) yang berlangsung di Veledrom Cheras bermula pada 8 hingga 12 Februari ini akan menjadi medan paling hampir untuk barisan negara yang dibarisi Azizulhasni Awang, Josiah Ng dan Fatehah Mustapa mengumpul mata. Selain persaingan membabitkan barisan terkuat Asia, ACC ini juga akan membabitkan pertarungan dua pelumba harapan negara, Azizul dan Josiah yang berada dalam program Road to London untuk membuktikan siapa jaguh di tanah air sendiri.

Begitupun menurut ketua jurulatih negara, John Beasley, selepas ACC masih ada dua kejohanan utama yang menawarkan mata iaitu Siri Piala Dunia Klasik keempat di London dan Kejohanan Dunia di Melbourne, April ini untuk pelumba mengumpul mata penting.
“Hanya pelumba terbaik akan terpilih ke Sukan Olimpik. Biarpun kita mempunyai dua pelumba berpotensi iaitu Azizul dan Josiah, hanya yang terbaik akan terpilih berdasarkan pendekatan baru Kesatuan Berbasikal Antarabangsa (UCI) apabila hanya membenarkan dua kuota untuk pelumba Asia.

“Justeru saya harap mereka akan mempamerkan semangat juang tinggi di ACC nanti,” kata Beasley.

Mengulas mengenai prestasi terkini Josiah, Beasley berkata, pelumba itu kini berada di puncak prestasi kariernya dan pastinya dia tidak akan melepaskan peluang untuk membuat penampilan ketiga di Olimpik.

“Saya yakin Josiah akan memberikan aksi terbaik bagi memastikan pelumba negara di kedudukan terbaik untuk merangkul pingat,” katanya. Terdahulu wujud episod pertelingkahan membabitkan dua pelumba ini dengan Josiah dikatakan tidak puas hati dengan kedudukan Azizul yang menjadi pilihan untuk berada dalam skuad negara berdasarkan syarat baru UCI.

Bagaimanapun Azizul tidak pernah bimbang kerana dia yakin hanya yang terbaik akan dipilih menggalas cabaran negara. Berdasarkan kedudukan terbaru dikeluarkan UCI, Josiah mendahului ranking pelumba terbaik Asia selepas mengumpul 260 mata diikuti pelumba China, Zhang Miao, kedua (220) dan Azizul, ketiga (170). Josiah berada di tempat ke-12 dunia, manakala Zhang Miao (17) dan Azizul (25).


Oleh Aida Adilah Mat
aida@hmetro.com.my

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