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...

Haresh Says, as published in Mailsport today: National cycling coach John Beasley and National Sports Institute performance scientist Chee Lee Ming, who accompanied the cycling team to Mexico, have been Josiah Ng’s pillar of support throughout the first 24 hours of the nerve wracking incident. They somehow cushioned the anxiety of Josiah’s loved ones based miles apart. In fact, Beasley has decided to stay back to keep an eye on Josiah until he is discharged from hospital. A picture of him taking a nap at the hospital was posted on Josiah's Facebook page. Such fatherly love is something money cannot buy.   Hopefully, Josiah will be back on his bicycle in no time as he sets his eyes on qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.   And here's a poem dedicated to Beasley: As for Beasley who now plays nanny, go drink some whisky, eat some tacos they are tasty, your treat for playing daddy. HD says: Get well soon Josiah!

Here's a letter from national cycling coach John Beasley ahead of the Sime Darby's RM2.85 million sponsorship to the national cycling scene.     From a coaching perspective the joint venture that has been formed between the National Sports Council of Malaysia and the Sime Darby foundation has given track cycling in Malaysia a great chance at defying even greater odds.   Since 2006 I have been effectively employed by Malaysia to try and help turn a small spark into a large flame. I use the word small spark intentionally as in terms of our physical size (comparative to other nations) our cycling infrastructure we are relatively small.  However, I also use spark intentionally as since 2006 we have been able to consistently produce performances that capture the eyes of the world. Each and every day since the beginning of my employment we have worked at creating a flame, a hot bed of talent, to help give Malaysia the world-class program it deserves so ...

National cycling coach John Beasley is currently with the cycling team at the on-going Tasmanian Carnival. Here are his reports of the riders' performances; Day 1 (Dec 28) Just a quick up date on yesterdays racing. Latrobe is a big out door flat 500m track on the north east coast of Tasmania. Weather conditions were windy and about 23 degrees.  We had a good first day in Latrobe Tasmania yesterday with Josiah wining the 200om handicap, Jupha finished 3rd in the womens handicap and raced very well. Jupha won the B grade scratch race, Hamimha finished second in the same race. Edrus finished 2nd in the final of the sprint derby in a 6 up final to Simon van Velthooven of NZ. Hamdan finished 7th in the A grade scratch race full of international six day bike riders and lots of currant and past world champions in the race, I was very happy with his ride. The junior group did quite well for there first day on the track after there long journey, they made a lot of finals though could no...

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...

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...