JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 29 – There will be a touch of Olympics when several countries competing in the cycling events in next year’s Tokyo Olympics, stopover in Johor Bahru and make the newly built Johor Velodrome as their training base.
The Tokyo Olympics earlier scheduled to be held this year had to be postponed due to the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic which played havoc with major sporting events in the world.
Johor Sports Council director, Gaddaffie Aziz revealed on Tuesday during a visit to the Johor Velodrome by former deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam.
Tun Musa also visited the BMX Track. Both utilities are located in booming Iskandar Puteri.
The Johor Velodrome is located in an area spanning 2.54 hectares and features a 250-meter track built according to the International Cycling Union (UCI) standards with a capacity of 700 people.
”So far Poland and Mexico have made verbal requests for their national cycling teams to use the world-class facility as their training base as part of their preparations for the Tokyo Olympics,” said Gaddaffie.
The Johor Velodrome is described as a new landmark for sports in this Southern State which is fast gaining a reputation as a major sporting hub in this part of the world.
Tun Musa, who hails from Johor Bahru and is a former student of the famed English College (now known as Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar), is also the former chairman of plantation giant Sime Darby.
He is a keen follower of sporting activities, both local and international. During his tenure with Sime Darby national cyclists Azizulhasni Awang – (dubbed the Pocket Rocket Man) and ace woman cyclist Fatehah Mustapa – were given scholarships.
Meanwhile, Sukma Johor 2020 may have been postponed but the facilities for the biennial games will be fully utilized.
Plans are afoot to host various events involving state teams before the games are held in March 2022.
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