Early Exit In World Cup: Shah Firdaus Admits Still In Rebuilding Phase

NILAI, April 25 (Bernama) -- National track cyclist Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom admitted that he is still in the phase of rebuilding his performance after being knocked out in the first-round repechage of the keirin event at the 2026 Track Cycling World Cup at the National Velodrome in Nilai, today.

Shah Firdaus said that, ideally, he should have made his comeback at lower-level races before competing on a high-intensity international stage.

“To be honest, for someone just starting back, international racing shouldn't have begun at this level. I should have started at Class 1 or 2 levels and progressed from there. But I jumped straight into high-intensity racing. It is also a good thing, though, as I can assess my current level,” he said when met after the race here today.

In today's competition, Shah Firdaus finished fourth in the first round of Heat 6 with a time of 10.262 seconds (s), before failing to advance to the second round after finishing third in the repechage round with a time of 10.099s.

The 30-year-old cyclist, originally from Muar, Johor, mentioned that race positioning and a bit of luck also influenced his performance.

According to him, using a heavier gear for the first time in this competition was among the new approaches taken to evaluate his capability and physical condition, particularly concerning a previous knee injury.

“In the first start, I drew a position at the front, even though I’m not yet able to maintain speed from that position. When I was at the back, I got boxed in the middle of the pack. So today, in terms of positioning, it wasn't great.

“But that’s okay. Of course, I hope to return to my best form, perhaps trying to get back under 10s. From there, we can rebuild performance bit by bit,” he said.

In the meantime, Shah Firdaus said his main target this season is the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, starting this July, and the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in September.

--BERNAMA