KUALA LUMPUR: National mountain bike (MTB) coach Noor Alfizar Othman may appear unassuming, but she is a powerhouse in producing top athletes despite her kindly school teacher look.
Noor Alfizar has trained road cyclist Siti Nur Adibah Akma Fuad and MTB riders Phi Kun Pan and Nur Fitrah Shaari, but her biggest success to date is transforming her niece, Nurul Izzah Izzati Asri, into a world-class track cyclist.
Pint-sized Izzah, nicknamed "The Pocket Rocket Woman", made headlines by winning the keirin gold medal at the Asian Track Cycling Championships (ACC) in New Delhi before qualifying for the Paris Olympics.
However, the 20-year-old's journey under the guidance of Alfizar was anything but easy.
The 47-year-old coach explained that Izzah came under her care due to her family's difficult circumstances, and her determination made all the difference.
"I got her at the right time... she was 12 then. Her father had lost his job in Sungai Petani, and I told him to let me take care of his kids to ease his financial burden," said Alfizar.
"I told Izzah that if she wanted to stay with me, she had to cycle. She was a small-sized girl and not athletic at all; she couldn't even run. She stayed with me and her cousin, Siti Nur Adibah."
Reflecting on Izzah's early days in cycling, Alfizar shared a poignant memory.
"I remember her first competition at the Pesta Penang. It was a funny sight, with Izzah on a bike too big for her, and her helmet hanging to one side.
"Someone said that Izzah was only getting the chance to compete because I was her aunt, and I should not be raising a child like this.
"I told Izzah, 'Did you hear what people are saying about you? You need to prove them wrong.' It was tough for us. Izzah, Adibah, and I would participate in MTB competitions throughout the country and had to sleep in the car."
"There was a time when I only had RM12. I told the girls that we needed to win the competition, or we would not have enough money for petrol and toll to get home.
"Adibah finished second, winning RM1,000, and Izzah came third, earning RM700."
"We used the money to fix the bikes. Our bikes had only three working gears, and we were competing against bikes with 23-speed gears. It was really tough."
Alfizar recalled how kindness from fellow Malaysians played a role in Izzah's formative years as an MTB rider.
"We were ill-equipped due to a lack of funds. But we had a lot of well-wishers, like a Chinese shop owner who saw us competing without proper attire and decided to sponsor our first cycling jersey."
"Izzah was so happy to get her first-ever cycling jersey. She's a person who doesn't care about branded things or the best equipment. She comes from a humble background and always appreciates whatever she receives."
Alfizar said she always had confidence in Izzah competing in the Olympics, but qualifying for Paris was unexpected.
"She's small-sized and idolises Azizulhasni Awang because they both have a similar build."
"I was always confident that she would be in the Olympics. In fact, Adibah was my first target, but she received offers to train with other states and joined them. She's doing well in road cycling."
"What's special about Izzah is when she sets her mind on something, she will achieve it regardless of the challenge.
"I told her if she wanted to be mediocre, she should leave. I always told her that she needed to beat the fastest boy in Kedah, and she did," she said.
Alfizar thanks national track cycling coach Jon Beasley for turning Izzah from a promising cyclist into an Asian champion.
"When I handed her over to John, I wanted to see her improve. Her target was the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but she achieved it early by qualifying for the Paris Games.
"This will be Izzah's chance to gain experience in Paris. I believe she will be even better at LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032."