Nurul Izzah Gains Valuable Experience, Breaks National Record

NILAI, April 25 (Bernama) -- National track cyclist Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri has described her duel with world champion Hetty van de Wouw as her biggest learning experience despite being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the women’s individual sprint at the 2026 UCI Track Cycling World Cup today.

Nurul Izzah lost to the Dutch rider after an impressive campaign in the first two rounds, as well as the qualifying round at the National Velodrome Nilai here.

More impressively, the 21-year-old rider also set a new national record after clocking 10.541 seconds (s) in the qualifying round to place seventh fastest.

The time erased her previous record of 10.658s set at the Nations Cup in Konya, Turkiye, last year.

“Alhamdulillah, I managed to set a new national record. To make the top 10 and finish seventh (in the qualifying round) is among my biggest achievements.

“I tried to give my best up to the quarter-finals and met Hetty, last year’s world champion. That was one of the biggest lessons for me - learning tactically and gaining the experience of racing against her,” she said when met after the race here.

Elaborating further, the Kedah-born athlete said the opportunity to be on the same track allowed her to study her opponent’s movements and approach.

“She is indeed very fast and I could feel a big gap in speed between us, but from there, I know what needs to be improved, namely tactical aspects, power and also timing,” said the cyclist, who will compete in the keirin event tomorrow.

In the 1/16 finals, Nurul Izzah defeated Zita Gheysens of Belgium in heat three, before overcoming Ukraine’s Alla Biletska in heat seven of the 1/8 finals.

Meanwhile, compatriot Nur Alyssa Mohd Farid exited the women’s individual sprint in the 1/8 finals after losing to Stefany Lorena Cuadrado Florez of Colombia.

Earlier, Nur Alyssa got off to a strong start after defeating Nicky Degrendele in heat eight of the 1/16 finals.

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