KUCHING: Two rookies Hii Yu Heng and Tay Choon Liang both did well by returning 5th and 2nd placings respectively in the junior category of the mountainbike cross country at the Lubuk Linggau Mountain Bike national championships and International Race (UCI Class 2) in Southern Sumatra in Indonesia from July 18-23.
Accompanied by team manager cum coach Laurel Adrian, the three-men team competed in the race which is a one hour 15 min race (8 laps) with competitors from the Indonesian national team and Timor Leste.
Tay got cash cheque of 3 million rupiah (RM960) for his effort while Hii got who was fifth in the placings received 1.5 million (RM480) in Indonesian currency.
Coach Laurel who was excited by their achievements said both did remarkably well as they were new to international competitions with the Bintulu-born Hii, 16, only started competitive cycling this year.
The Lubuk Linggau international competition was his first taste of competition at the highest level.
“We found him only in March this year during a race in Bintulu while for Tay it was his first international competitions.
Hii who was using his friends bike as he only owned a road bike when he competed in the Bintulu Challenge in February was picked by State coach Leon Schepers when he spotted the potential in him to include him in the State development squad preparing for the next Sukma competitions.
Laurel, who is from Sabah said when they picked the Sarawak riders, they not only found out that the two have the prerequisites required for cycling like skills in handling a bike and stamina but also the courage or guts which is inherent in them.
“These two are the potentials as they are fearless, which is a quality we need in competitive riders.”
Laurel also said the duo who are earmarked for the Sukma competitions in Ipoh next year will compete in the next national competitions.
