KUALA LUMPUR: National cycling legend, Datuk Ng Joo Ngan remains adamant that he will no longer lead the national road cycling squad at the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games in Phnom Penh this May.
A key player in the achievement of the national cycling squad winning a gold medal in the men’s road cycling events at the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, Joo Ngan, 76, thinks it is time to hand over the reins to defend the medal to a younger coach.
“Actually, I’m an old timer and if possible I don’t want to interfere. We should give younger coaches a chance to find experience and need to know how to win and avoid defeat.
“Right now, I myself don’t know who will be the new coach because it’s still under discussion. At the SEA Games in Hanoi, we were in the best momentum so that’s why we succeeded,” he said when met recently.
Although there is no indication who will replace him with just about two months left before the Games open, Joo Ngan feels that the national squad would face tough competition as the other teams are expected to line up their best riders.
“This year, the challenge may be quite difficult because of the strong competition from other countries. So I hope the appointed coach can change the race strategy because we have a strong line-up of riders,” he said.
In Hanoi, the national cycling squad won one gold, two silver and two bronze.
The gold was won by Muhammad Nur Aiman Mohd Zariff in the men’s road cycling event while Nur Aisyah Mohamad Zubir won silver in the women’s event of the same before helping the women’s team with Nor Aisyah Munirah Chek Ramli, Siti Nur Adibah Akma Mohd Fuad, Jupha Somnet and Zhen Yi Yeong win the same colour in the women’s team event.
Nur Aisyah also won bronze in the women’s criterium while Nur Aiman Rosli did the same in the men’s time trial. – BERNAMA
