Foul!

As published in Mailsport today By Wan Noriza Meor Idris wannoriza@mmail.com.my PETALING JAYA — National coach John Beasley has told Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) to stop “stabbing him in the back” and asked MNCF president Datuk Abu Samah Wahab to stop misleading the public about track cycling.   “If the MNCF want to get petty and play petty games then at least state the truth. Please don’t mislead the public.   “Nobody wants this fight, we just want to come together for the betterment of the sport. Please stop it and let’s move forward,” said Beasley.   “My message to the federation is — sort this out and stop it. We are supposed to be working together.   “If you have issues with me as the coach speak to me. Don’t stab me in the back. You have my phone number. Let’s talk.”   Abu Samah was quoted by Kosmo on Jan 31 as saying he was disappointed Azizulhasni Awang did not win a gold medal at last week’s Asian Cycling Championships (ACC) in ...

As published in Mailsport today. By Wan Noriza Meor Idris wannoriza@mmail.com.my ROZIMI OMAR is the unsung hero behind Azizulhasni Awang’s rise to fame.  The 43-year-old from Dungun was the one who discovered the then 10-year-old and moulded him into the champion he is today.  “Azizul is one of a kind. He is strong mentally and physically. He has good discipline which is hard to find,” Rozimi told Mailsport at his training ground at Bukit Pak Sabah — the same place where Azizul first honed his skills.  “There are a lot of good riders out there but many find it easier to give up. Azizul was different. He was willing to push himself to the limit. “I’m so proud of him and my aim to discover more champions like him ” He remembers Azizul as a naughty village boy — but with a good heart. “As a kid, Azizul loved to play and I had to chase after him to train. He also loved skateboarding and I forced him to choose one ... fortunately he pick...

As published in Mailsport By Wan Noriza Meor Idris wannoriza@mmail.com.ny KUALA LUMPUR — National cycling coach John Beasley has got his wish. Kamarul Aizad Othman, the special officer to Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) president Datuk Abu Samah Abd Wahab, will no longer handle team matters. Beasley said he would never forgive Aizad, who nearly caused the team to miss the Asian Cycling Championships in Korat, Thailand recently.  Aizad messed up the flight tickets and hotel bookings which resulted in the team taking a later flight and staying in a hotel more than 20km from the championship venue. Despite these problems, Azizulhasni Awang still won the Keirin event. It was his ninth gold medal in the history of the championship — three as a junior (2006 — sprint, 1km and Keirin), three Keirin titles (2007, 2008, 2015), two individual sprint crowns (2008, 2009) and one team sprint victory (2009).  He broke the record he shared with S...

By Wan Noriza Meor Idris  wannoriza@mmail.com.my IT was not the medal he wanted but the smile on Azizulhasni Awang’s face hid his disappointment. He wanted the gold badly after winning two silver medals in previous Track World Championships but settled for bronze in the Keirin final at the Velodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, yesterday. “I dedicate my medal to my lovely mother Selamiah Yong who celebrated her 51st birthday on Wednesday,” Azizul told Mailsport after the prize-giving ceremony. “This is for you mum. Without your support and love, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Thank you and I love you.” France’s Francois Pervis retained his title with a blistering final lap to beat New Zealand’s Edward Dawkins and Azizul. Azizul crossed the finish line just ahead of 2009 world champion Maximilian Levy of Germany. The Terengganu lad had won silvers in the sprint in 2009 and Keirin the following year. “I made a perfect start in Round 1 but faced difficultie...

Haresh Says, as published in Mailsport today. JULY 17, 2014 – Melbourne International Airport IT was supposed to be another trip back to Kuala Lumpur for Melbourne-based Azizulhasni Awang. Yet, flying home last Thursday proved to be an emotional journey after the national cyclist and his teammates learnt about the Malaysian Airlines (MAS) aircraft that was shot down by pro-Russian insurgents in eastern Ukraine.  “We were at the MAS lounge when the news broke out. The whole team, including other passengers, were all standing and we were all glued in front of the television,” said Azizulhasni.  “We were shocked!”  A sombre mood quickly enveloped as the cycling team sympathised with the next-of-kin of all 298 on board Flight MH17. “We feel sad for those on the plane and to the family members. We truly hope they will be able to stay strong,” added Azizulhasni who remains Malaysia’s best bet of nailing a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow...

UPDATE March 14 (9.19am):  The team manager of the national cycling squad to the Asian Cycling Championship in New Delhi Ibrahim Mustapha must face the music for dereliction of duty, said Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek. Read the full report here . ------ UPDATE 12.03pm: Here is an SMS sent by the team manager Ibrahim Mustapha to the Malaysian National Cycling Federation deputy president Naim Mohamad; Datuk Naim, lagu dan bendera telah diserahkan kpd sekretariat pada 5 mac dihotel royal . Penyampai medal paracycling divelodrom pada jam 645ptg lagu negara ku dan bendera dinaikan/berkumandang penyampaian dibuat divelodrom. Hari ni 9 paralimpik balik jam 1230. Untuk komfon semasa lagu dimainkan tel jo jurulatih 012#$%^&*@. Dia ada ambil video majlis penyampaian. tk. Hj Ibrahim Mustapha. And here's what Naim had to say: I am sorry this happened. I will wait for a written explanation from the team manager. As a team manager he should be at the venue as a...

Five of our national athletes received monetary funding of US$1,000 (RM3,055) a month since 2010 as they are recipients of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) scholarship . The five are shuttlers Lee Chong Wei, Koo Kien Keat, Tan Boon Heong, cyclist Azizulhasni Awang and middle distance runner P.Yuvaraj . Apparently there are talks that Yuvaraj has not been receiving his monthly funding. A quick check with Olympic Council of Malaysia secretary Sieh Kok Chi proved otherwise. "We have all the records and we have been paying to the associations and in Yuvaraj's case to the Malaysian Athletics Federation," stressed Kok Chi. Perhaps that would answer all doubts - or would it? HD says : Hmm....

What does Merdeka mean?   Pandelela Rinong - national diver, London Olympic bronze medalist “Merdeka means we are free from penjajah and we stand together as one.” Azizulhasni Awang - national cyclist “Merdeka literally means freedom from colonialization but in the new millennium, in the current context of our country, Merdeka reflects our country’s solidarity in the advancement towards being a developed nation and most importantly how we bring about the paradigm shift of our mentality to another level.” K.Rajagobal - national football coach “Merdeka holds a significant meaning to all of us. It reminds us of our grassroots and the ability to be harmonious in our country. Everybody should respect the values. Malaysia is a blessed country and we should not think of the negatives and look at the positives. It’s a country filled with colours.” Sieh Kok Chi - Olympic Council of Malaysia secretary “I’m proud and happy we have progressed so far. My beli...

Below is an article written by national cycling coach John Beasley and his opinion about cycling in the country. At least some people are willing to share their knowledge and expertise for free.   Act now or risk the death of a sport: A coach’s assessment of Cycling within Malaysia. It has come to a point now that London has passed whereby we must begin to plan for 2016. Planning for the next games is essential, and in small ways has been happening before these games even occurred as if you only plan for one games at a time with all your focus, then you will left playing catch up when you lose a crop of stars.   This is the exact dilemma we face with track cycling, and cycling in general right at this minute. We currently have a great group (Josiah Ng, Azizul Awang, Rizal Tisin, Fatehah Mustapa, Edrus Yunos, Adiq Othman, Amir Mustafa Rusli), but several of them are almost at the end of their careers. Most will make it to Rio 2016 and still be strong, but who comes a...

UPDATE 8.40am:   Graeme Maw, director of sport at Millfield School, in Somerset, says every pupil at the school does a minimum of three hours of scheduled sport per week.  However, many pupils at the private school, which has nine former and current pupils competing at the London Games - more than any other school - do up to 22 hours of training. There are also more than 30 different sports on offer.  It is an ethos Mr Maw agrees with. "Dance might not be an Olympic sport but it's something that young girls really enjoy - it's about finding and discovering individual talent in a child," he adds. Read more in BBC - Olympics legacy: How can we encourage kids into sport? ------- I believe the information above is self explanatory. Efforts to educate our youngsters to appreciate sports is always welcomed. We saw how sports unite us all; from Malaysians of all walks of life feeling disappointed and sorry for Lee Chong Wei after he failed to win th...

There will not only be officials and athletes in London - but parents too! The Terengganu government went a step further by sposoring the parents of their athletes to London. They include cyclists Adiq Husaini Othman, Amir Mustafa Rosli, Fatihah Mustafa dan Azizul Hasni Awang and archers Khairul Anuar Mohamad and Nurul Syafiqah Hashim. This will certainly provide an additional boost for the athletes who will want to make their families proud. There are officials there who - and I hope - to "learn" and "support" our Malaysian athletes. For latest results and updates, visit the official website here . And here's a preview of the Games by national news agency Bernama; As the 2012 London Olympics raises its curtains tomorrow, Malaysia will take off the starting block in its hunt for the elusive first gold medal from the world's biggest sporting event since its maiden participation in the 1956 Melbourne Games in Australia. Since 1956, only shuttlers...

As published in today's Mailsport . IT was a chilly Thursday morning in Melbourne. John Beasley ( pic ) was at the doorstep of The Windsor Hotel at 7am as promised as he drove Mailsport’s senior journalist Haresh Deol to the suburbs where the national cyclists trained. Along the way, Beasley left his wife Vicki off at their family owned business – Beasley Cycles. John and Vicki are the third generation of the Beasleys to run the shop which started business in 1919. Early at the Elite Sports Gym were Olympics-bound Azizulhasni Awang, Josiah Ng and Fatehah Mustapa.  Even several junior athletes including Malek Marcus Mccrone and Jupha Somnet were also at the gym as they prepare for the UCI Juniors Track World Championships in August. Beasley has played an instrumental role guiding the riders to glory. Yet, he isn’t exactly a popular figure especially among members of the Press and officials. The no-nonsense coach takes time off from his daily routine as he speaks about t...