MALAYSIA EXPECTS CYCLISTS TO STRIKE GOLD IN LONDON OLYMPICS

By Neville D'Cruz

MELBOURNE, July 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad
Shabery Cheek is looking for a medal performance, and possibly gold, from
the cycling squad at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

"We have some fantastic riders who have made amazing progress while training
in Melbourne," he said.

Ahmad Shabery singled out leading cyclist Azizul Hasni Awang as a gold
prospect in London.

Azizul is among 10 riders, among them sole woman cyclist Fatehah Mustapa,
who are in intensive training under Australia's coach John Beasley.

"I've heard good reports from John about the commitment, consistency and
dedication of our young cyclists, and some of them are worthy of medals at the
London Olympics," Ahmad Shabery said.

"Azizul is a gifted cyclist and a role model. He's unassuming and trains
very hard," he said of the rider from Terengganu.

Apart from Azizul, four others in the team are from Terengganu -- Fatehah,
Amir Mustafa Rusli, Mohd Hariff Salleh and Adiq Husaini Othman.

Three of the riders training here are from the Malaysian state of Selangor
-- Mohd Akmal Amrun, Mohd Rizal Tisin and Hafiz Sufian, while the remaining are
Edrus Yunos from the Perak state and Junaidi Nasir from the Johor state.
-- BERNAMA