KUALA LUMPUR: Young national track cyclist Muhammad Ridwan Sahrom is not yet comfortable as the replacement in the sprint event following the absence of Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang at the 2025 Asian Track Cycling Championships (ACC) next month.
Muhammad Ridwan said he is aware that it is not an easy task to take on the responsibility but is optimistic that it could be proven through hard work in several tournaments before the ACC2025 opens.
Earlier, the cyclist recorded a positive start to 2025 after emerging as the bronze medalist in the men’s elite sprint event at the ASEAN Track Series (President’s Cup) 1 held at the National Velodrome in Nilai, on Tuesday.
“I hope that’s how it is (filling the vacancy in ACC2025) but I can’t be too confident because in sprint events, all kinds of things can happen.
“Anyone can fill the vacancy that exists. I will just try to train as hard as I can and focus on getting that slot,” he said when met recently.
So far, his brother Muhammad Shah Firdaus will compete for ACC2025 while national track cycling head coach Harnizam Basri is looking into other riders who will participate in the championship by studying their ASEAN Track Series performance .
The ASEAN Track Series President’s Cup 2 and 3 will take place on Jan 18-19 and 22-23 respectively.
Muhammad Ridwan, who teamed with Muhammad Fadhil Zonis and Umar Hasbullah, won the silver medal in the team sprint event at the ACC in New Delhi last year, thus improving on his bronze achievement in the 2023 edition at the National Velodrome.
Mohd Azizulhasni, known as ‘The Pocket Rocketman’, was previously the country’s top cyclist who was often relied upon to bring challenges in individual and team sprint events in the ACC.
