HANGZHOU: The national women's track cycling squad created history by winning their first-ever team sprint medal at the Asian Games.
The trio of Nurul Aliana Syafika Azizan, Nurul Izzah Izzati and Anis Amira Rosidi won the bronze by setting a new national record of 49.025s, triumphing over Taiwan in the bronze medal playoff at Chun'an Jieshou Sports.
Nurul Izzah said the bronze medal win was a reward after two heartbreaks.
"This win is special after the heartbreaks we faced at the Asian Cycling Championships in New Delhi (2022) and Nilai (2023), where we finished fourth," said the pint-sized Kedahan.
This achievement also marked Malaysia's first medal in women's cycling since Fatehah Mustapa's keirin silver at the 2014 Incheon edition.
Anis and Nurul Izzah will aim to create more history when they compete in the keirin event tomorrow, while Shah Firdaus Sahrom will commence his campaign in the men's sprint.