KUCHING: The state’s Sukma cycling team will move to Perlis the host of the next games next week and train there until after their competition in May
Disclosing this yesterday, the state’s Sukma coach Dzulkaflee Hassan said the three month stint to help the cyclists adapt to the actual conditions of the tracks reflected the state’s commitment to do well in the sport in the games.
“It is a much better use of our funds. Rather than keep paying for expensive flight tickets, it is better to spend it on the riders instead,” he added.
The women’s and men’s teams will be selected from a squad of 23 cyclists with Myanmar SEA Games reserve rider Caroline George and Pahang Sukma champion Rosnina Minggu among them.
Rosnina, who hails from the seaside town of Sematan located some 100km from here, is the defending Sukma mountainbike XC champion. She is a key part of the five-member women’s team that will race in the road events.
Sarawak will be competing in all cycling events in Perlis, including the track events.
Dzukaflee is leaving nothing to chance, having the road team start their training in mid-December, 2013.
“Basically, we are at the first phase of the training, which means the team is building up their endurance level.
“The riders have each logged 4,000kms since then. Probably by next week, we will move into the next phase when the heavy training like the speedwork will begin,” he said.
The women’s team is basically the same team that went to Pahang which included Aina Zafirah and Caroline George .
Caroline was a member of the Malaysian squad in the Myanmar SEA Games but did not race.
Saxon Racing’s Nur Azlina Jumry Ahmad, who was with the NSC’s Penang regional centre, is also one of the five.
Azlina, who impressed the NSC coaching staff after two strong competitions overseas including a track meet in Tasmania, has been promoted to train at the Bukit Jalil Sports School.
Team Viking’s Noriesmieza Azeman, rounds out the team.
Viking is also contributing to the men team along with Saxon and Sarawak’s top team, Team Corbusier.
Corbusier’s highly-rated Garry Tay and fast-improving teammate Noel Lim will partner Viking’s Mahathir Norsman and Saxon’s duo of Hamif Kamaludin and Mohd. Fitri.
Another rider is Team Sextron’s Awang Adib.
Hamif is currently attached to the NSC’s Ipoh regional centre after impressing in the National Junior Track Championship recently.
Garry and Adib will be doing double duty, racing in both road and mountainbike events.
The Kuching Town student will have his work cut out for him, having also being selected for the road race and the team time trial.
The other three members of the time trial unit are Lim, Adib and Hamif.
As part of their pre-SUKMA schedule, the Sarawak men team is scheduled to race in seven events.
First up is the Shah Alam criterium on the 15th, Feb., followed by the five day U-19 Jelajah Johor in March and then the U-18 Remaja Terengganu.