Mike Melson Fung (left photo) wins the silver medal in the junior men’s downhill.Nur Deena Safia (right photo), bronze medallist in the U23 XCO.
KUCHING: Sporting success can come when it is least expected.
That was what happened to Team Malaysia during last weekend’s Asian Continental Championship for mountain bike at Danao City, Philippines.
The team, made up mostly young, up and coming riders, was supposed to be there to watch, learn and try out against the best riders in Asia.
Taking a place on the podium was never part of the plan.
But, surprise, they returned with two medals courtesy of Sabah’s Mike Melson Fung and Kuala Lumpur’s Nur Deena Safia.
The 17-year-old Sabahan was the toast of the team after picking up the silver in the junior men’s downhill.
Speed demon Fung was confident going into his race despite facing “a tough and dangerous course with all the big drops.”
“After the practice runs, I was confident I had a shot at the medals,” he revealed.
Deena emerged with the bronze in the U23 XCO which was won by Filipino Arianna Domitorio with silver going to Thailand’s Natalie Panyawan.
It was an ordeal for Deena who suffered a crash on her first
practice lap which left her winded.
In Friday’s XCO relay race, she had crashed out of the race and ended up in the medical tent.
Despite all the travails, however, she put it all together when it mattered and even expressed disappointment that she could have done better.
“Maybe it was too hot but I don’t think I did as well as I should have,” said Deena, daughter of Malaysian legend Nor Effendi Rosli.
Meanwhile, for the three Sarawak juniors there, it was a baptism by fire as they were shown what top level Asian cycling is all about.
Ivan Ong, Brandon Lee and Brandon Lau were all pulled out by race commissaires after falling too far behind.
For Ivan Ong, it was a question of when, not if, as his rear brake was already seizing up at the start line.
“It got so bad I had to pedal in the downhill sections. It was ridiculous,” said Ong.
He deserved some credit for grinding out two punishing laps of the tough course.
The big winners at the championship were China and Japan, taking six golds between them.
The blue ribbon men’s elite XCO was won by Japanese star Kohei Yamamoto. Iran’s Faraz Shokri was second with another Japanese Seiya Hirano third.