KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — Malaysia’s para-cycling champion Mohamad Yusof Hafizi Shaharuddin has emerged as the top choice to fill the male cyclist slot for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, scheduled to take place from August 28 to September 8.
National para-cycling coach Sallehudin Mohd Noh said Yusof is increasingly securing the slot for Malaysia following his outstanding performances lately, thus making his second appearance at the Paralympic Games after Tokyo 2020.
“We have indeed named Muhamad Yusof as our strong candidate for the 2024 Paralympic Games, but the official announcement will only be made after the qualification period ends on June 30,” he said recently.
The 26-year-old achieved remarkable success by clinching the bronze medal in the men’s C1 1-kilometre time trial at the 2024 Para Cycling World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last week.
Not only did he excel in Brazil, but the Kuala Kangsar native also made headlines by becoming the first national representative to stand on the podium at the first leg of the 2024 Para Road Cycling World Cup in Adelaide, Australia, in January, winning the bronze in the road time trial event.
Meanwhile, Sallehudin said Yusof is capable of competing in several events, including the men’s 1km time trial C1-3, 3,000m pursuit C1, and road race, if confirmed to compete in Paris 2024.
However, he noted there might be better chances for his charge to secure a medal in the 3,000m pursuit C1 event than others.
“The event in which Mohamad Yusof won bronze in Brazil the other day is slightly different than in Paris 2024 as it combines classes C1 to C3, so we need to reassess our chances.
“The 3,000m pursuit C1 event, on the other hand, does not combine with other classes, so there might be opportunities, and hopefully, he can improve his performance to compete with other national cyclists,” Sallehudin said.
The coach previously said that besides the male slot, Malaysia has also secured one female slot and hopes to increase the quota of cyclists to compete in the prestigious sports event through two more rounds of the Para Road Cycling World Cup, scheduled for May.
The second round of the championship will take place in Ostend, Belgium, from May 2 to May 5, followed by the final round in Maniago, Italy, from May 16 to May 19.
— Bernama
