KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 — Malaysia has officially opened its gold medal account at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games in spectacular fashion, thanks to a masterclass performance by national para track cyclist Zuhairie Ahmad Tarmizi.
Competing in the men’s 1,000-metre time trial at the Izu Velodrome in Shizuoka, Japan, Zuhairie delivered a blistering ride that left his competitors in his wake. Clocking an impressive 1 minute 5.361 seconds in the final, he secured the gold medal in the C5 (physical impairment) category, marking a historic start for the Malaysian contingent on the continental stage.
Zuhairie’s victory was not merely a result of the final race, but the culmination of a dominant day on the track. His performance was characterized by technical precision and sheer power, proving his status as a world-class athlete. The Malaysian cyclist faced stiff competition, but ultimately outclassed Thailand’s Jaturong Niwanti, who took the silver medal with a time of 1:07.206. Indonesia’s Sufyan Saori rounded out the podium, claiming the bronze medal with a time of 1:08.166.
The magnitude of Zuhairie’s achievement was underscored by his performance earlier in the day during the qualifying round. Demonstrating remarkable form, he shattered the existing Games record with a lightning-fast time of 1:04.882. This feat effectively erased the previous record of 1:07.311, which had been set by China’s Lai Shanzhang at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games. By slicing nearly two and a half seconds off the previous mark, Zuhairie sent a clear message to his rivals that he had arrived in Japan with only one goal in mind: the top of the podium.
The atmosphere at the Izu Velodrome was electric as the Malaysian flag was raised, marking the first time the national anthem would be played at these Games. Coaches and teammates celebrated the victory, which serves as a massive morale booster for the Malaysian team as they look toward the remainder of the competition.
Zuhairie’s gold medal effort is expected to set the tone for Malaysia’s campaign in Aichi-Nagoya. As the Games progress, all eyes will remain on the velodrome, where the national cycling squad will be hoping to build on this golden momentum. For now, however, the day belongs to Zuhairie Ahmad Tarmizi, whose record-breaking performance has etched his name into the annals of Malaysian para-sport history.
With this result, Malaysia continues to demonstrate its growing prowess in para-cycling, proving that its athletes are among the fastest and most resilient in the Asian region. As the Games continue, the nation eagerly awaits further success from its representatives in Shizuoka.
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