NILAI, May 23 ― With just two months left to his race in the 2024 Olympic Games, national track cyclist Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom seems to have run into a streak of bad luck.
Shah Firdaus said he is now struggling with injuries and a bacterial infection, which have somewhat disrupted his preparations for his second Olympic ride after the Tokyo 2020 edition.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games men’s keirin bronze medallist said the National Sports Institute (ISN) recently told him that a tendon in his left shoulder was torn due to the impact of an accident during a training session at the National Velodrome here last January, which saw his bicycle tyres explode while chasing a motorcycle in front of him.
“ISN conducted an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and showed me images of my torn shoulder tendon, which has affected my movement.
“The doctor also suggested an injection to help my shoulder recover quickly before training in Europe,” he said when met at the 2024 National Track Cycling Championships yesterday.
Shah Firdaus secured a silver medal for Johor in the men’s elite keirin event, finishing behind national track cycling champion Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang, who won gold for Terengganu, while Shah Firdaus' younger brother Muhammad Ridwan took bronze.
Regarding the bacterial infection, the 28-year-old athlete said he began experiencing changes in his body, including frequent chills and muscle soreness, while competing at the Japan Track Cup at the Izu Velodrome in Shizuoka recently.
“Sometimes training goes well, but the next day I feel exhausted, like something is wrong. After the race just now, my body was shaking. I’ve never felt like that before but fortunately, I survived the race and thankfully didn’t collapse or have an accident,” he said.
He is taking antibiotics provided by the doctor to kill the bacteria in his body due to the infection.
He is set to undergo the final training phase in Europe starting next month ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games, scheduled from July 26 to Aug 11, and will take precautions to avoid any untoward incidents.
“I just want to play it safe and can’t afford to fall again because once it happens, it will disrupt training for one to two weeks due to the recovery period.
“I admit I have been struggling lately, but I just need to be patient and believe that Allah SWT will grant rewards later,” he said. ― Bernama
