KUALA LUMPUR: Three Malaysian track cyclists – Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang, Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom and Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri – have officially qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics, to be held from July 23 to Aug 11.
Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) deputy president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill said, it was confirmed after the International Cycling Union (UCI) published the track cycling quota for each of the National Olympic Committee (NOC), yesterday (April 22).
"We are very pleased with the composition of the track team in Paris, with Datuk Azizul and Shah Firdaus in both keirin and sprint events, and Nurul Izzah making her debut in both keirin and sprint as well in the biggest sporting event in the world.
"The track team has a detailed planning all set out for the next three months heading towards the Games, with training at the National Velodrome in Nilai, and thereafter to Europe for a short stint before heading for the track events in Paris, which will be held from Aug 6 to 11," he said in a statement, today (April 23).
Last Monday, Amarjit, who is also a member of the UCI Management Committee, said that the three cyclists had unofficially qualified for the Paris Games based on the points and ranking published after the last round of the UCI Track Nations Cup in Milton, Canada.
Malaysia will have four cyclists competing at the Paris Games after Nur Aisyah Zubir secured her place in the road cycling event and was set to create history as the country's first female road cyclist to compete in the Olympics.
With the latest development, nine Malaysian athletes have officially qualified for the Olympics after diver Bertrand Rhodict Lises, Nur Shazrin Mohd Latif (sailing), Johnathan Wong (shooting), Ariana Nur Dania Mohd Zairi (archery), and Mohamad Aniq Kasdan (weightlifting) confirmed their places earlier.
— BERNAMA