Latest news with #ThailandSeaGames
New Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Time trial ace Aiman eyes Sea Games breakthrough
KUALA LUMPUR: Nur Aiman Rosli has set his sights on winning Sea Games gold after enjoying his best-ever outing at the National Road Cycling Championships which concluded in Johor yesterday (June 1). Muar-born Aiman achieved a prestigious double-gold feat in Pagoh, winning both the men's individual time trial for a sixth time as well as clinching his breakthrough victory in the road race. "Winning in my hometown, on the roads I grew up riding definitely meant a lot to me," said Aiman when contacted today (June 2). "I had come close to winning the road race a number of times previously and was finally able to do it this year." Aiman has gone from strength to strength since joining Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) at the end of the 2023 season. He finished fourth in the Asian Championships road race in Almaty, Kazakhstan last year and has placed in the top-10 in the individual time trial at the Asian meet for the last two years. The 26-year-old is now hoping to achieve a breakthrough victory at the Thailand Sea Games in December. "For the Sea Games, my target is to win gold in either the time trial or road race. I had won bronze previously (Hanoi 2021), so in my third appearance at the games I want to win gold. "For the time trial, I believe Thailand's Peerapol Chawchiangkwang will again be one of the favourites while Indonesia's Aiman Cahyadi will also be right up there. "Peerapol is the defending champion and he will also have home ground advantage. Aiman has won it before and is very experienced. "I was the second fastest Southeast Asian rider (behind Peerapol) at the Asian Championships (Thailand, Feb), which gives me a good baseline to work on. "I've been told the time trial route is relatively flat which should give me a chance to fight for the gold. I will definitely give it my best." Peerapol won the individual time trial gold when the discipline was last included at the 2021 Hanoi Sea Games - held in 2022 due to Covid-19 - when Aiman placed third. Aiman Cahyadi won the individual time trial gold during the 2019 Manila edition. Malaysia has won the road race gold at the last two editions of the games through Nur Aiman Zariff (Hanoi 2021) and Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki (Phnom Penh 2023). The duo are both Aiman's teammates at TSG. Aiman Rosli and the TSG squad immediately left for South Korea after the conclusion of the national championships yesterday. They are competing in the Tour of Gyeongnam (June 4-8) this week.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Aniq hopes weightlifters can end two-decade drought at the Sea Games
KUALA LUMPUR: National weightlifter Aniq Kasdan is hoping he and his teammates can end Malaysia's long wait for a gold medal in the sport at the Thailand Sea Games in December. Malaysia has not won a gold medal at biennial games since the late Che Mohd Azrol Che Mat won back-to-back golds at Hanoi 2003 and Manila 2005. Aniq assured that Malaysian weightlifters will definitely give it their all in Bangkok. "Of course we will try our best to win gold at the Sea Games," said Aniq when met recently. "We have not won a Sea Games gold in a very long time, in fact the person who last won gold for us has passed away. "The closest we have got recently was through Aznil Bidin who won silver (men's under-61kg) at the Hanoi Sea Games. "If possible, we want to do better than that this time." Aniq set a new national record at the time en route to winning bronze in the men's under-55kg class at Hanoi 2021. He has since moved up to the under-61kg class, which has now been abolished. Aniq, who finished fourth at the Paris Olympics last year, will compete in the new under-60kg class from now on and expects the competition to be just as fierce. Aznil and Aniq did not compete at the 2023 Phnom Penh Sea Games as they were focusing on qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Malaysia won one gold at the Phnom Penh games through Nur Syazwani Radzi (women's under-64kg). "I think the countries which are usually strong at the Sea Games will continue to be just as good," said Aniq, a four-time world championship medallist. "However, with this change in weight class, there could be some new contenders. We just have to wait and see." Indonesia's Eko Yuli Irawan, who won gold in the Under-61kg division at Phnom Penh 2023 is again expected to be among the favourites. The 37-year-old is a four-time Olympic medallist. Thailand's Theerapong Silachai, who clinched silver at last year's Paris Olympics, is also expected to be among the favourites. Like Aniq, the 21-year-old is also a rising star in his country.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Local boy Aiman Rosli powers to road race national title
KUALA LUMPUR: Scorching temperatures brought by the annual Southwest Monsoon season failed to stop Nur Aiman Rosli from securing a prestigious double victory at the National Road Cycling Championships in Pagoh, Johor today (June 1). Aiman, who claimed his sixth national title in the individual time trial on Friday (May 30), clinched the mass start road race title today, dropping his breakaway group to claim victory in three hours, 40 minutes and 26 seconds. Nur Aiman Zariff made it a 1-2 for Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), crossing the line +1:20s behind Aiman Rosli while Police's Ameer Ahmad Kamal (+1:22s) completed the podium. The 160.2km race started and ended at Kolej Vokasional Pagoh. Muar-born Aiman Rosli said he knew exactly when to attack. "This (Pagoh) is where I had trained when I was growing up, so I know this route quite well," said Aiman Rosli, who finished third in the mass start road race last year. "It was my intent to breakaway early because I knew the route here would get harder and harder as we progressed and it would also get hotter. "Alhamdulillah, the tactics I had planned worked out well and I was rewarded with a podium finish. I am grateful to get this win here." Aiman Zariff was content to finish second behind his teammate. "Once Aiman attacked the breakaway group, I prepared myself for a sprint finish with the remaining riders in the group," said Aiman Zariff. "Overall, I am satisfied to finish second as it was very hot today and the rolling (terrain) route was not easy." Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC) trio Ahmad Syazrin Awang Ilah, Faiz Fakhri Omar and Ariff Danial Roseidi finished just off the podium in fourth, fifth and sixth. The women's mass start road race saw Kedah's Nurul Nabilah Asri (Kedah) continuing her strong form this season by taking the win in 3:23:41s. Armed Forces' Intan Suraya Tokiman and Johor's Khairunnisa Aleeya Saifulnizam settled for second and third in the sprint finish. Nabilah, who is the younger sister of track cycling star Izzah Izzati, had won silver in the women's under-23 road race at the Asian Championships in Thailand in February. The 19-year-old is looking to secure her spot in the national squad for the Thailand Sea Games in December.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Aiman retains time trial gold for sixth time at National Championships
KUALA LUMPUR: Terengganu Cycling Team B rider Nur Aiman Rosli underlined his dominance once again by winning the men's elite time trial gold medal for the sixth consecutive time at the National Road Cycling Championships in Johor on Friday. The Johor-born cyclist completed the 40.6km route in 50:31.405s to take gold. Dealton Nur Arif Prayogo of Jakarta Pro Cycling finished second in 51:32.970, while Terengganu Cycling Team A's Nur Aiman Zariff (52:02.463) took bronze. Aiman said: "I managed to retain the title for the sixth time and I'm happy to achieve it. "I'm pleased with the result. My performance is getting better, and I'll be focusing on the next event — the road race." Aiman's result shows positive signs for Malaysia ahead of this year's Thailand Sea Games.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
MPC power to team time trial national title
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC) left no room for drama as they clinched a comfortable victory in the men's team time trial event at the National Road Cycling Championships in Johor today. MPC's Faiz Fakhri Omar, Ariff Danial Roseidi, Akmal Hakim Zakaria and Zahin Wahhi stopped the clock at one hour, six minutes and 5.709 seconds (48.45km/h average) to take the gold. Police's Elmi Jumari, Shaiful Adlan Shukri and brothers Ameer and Ameen Ahmad Kamal took second place (1:07:27.303s) while Aquatwo Cyclomotion (Iqmal Mohd Zarawi, Nasrul Firas Ridzuan and Zamirul Azrezza Zulkefli) finished third on 1:11:14.338s. The 53.4km course started and ended at Kolej Vokasional Pagoh in Muar. Heavyweights Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), however, opted not to compete in the event. MPC team principal Sayuti Zahit said it was a positive start for his squad, who are only competing in their second edition of the national championships since the team was founded in late 2023. "This is the first time they (national body) have included the team time trial in the national championships. I believe it is part of our preparations for the Thailand Sea Games this year," said Sayuti when contacted in Pagoh today. "We assumed TSG would race but they chose not to compete. "But still, it was a solid performance from our boys. Police had some good riders in their team, including the Ahmad Kamal brothers who are former Sea Games gold medallists. "We only used road bikes instead of time trial bikes so to get 48km/h average is a good achievement. "It has been a positive start for us here and we hope to continue racing well in the individual time trial and road race." The men's and women's individual time trial events will be held tomorrow (May 30) while the men's and women's mass start road races will be held on Sunday (June 1).
