Izzah Izzati Rides to Keirin Bronze, Matching Fatehah's Incheon Feat for Malaysia
Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri won women's keirin bronze, becoming only the second Malaysian woman to win an Asian Games medal in the event.
Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri won bronze in the women's keirin at Izu Velodrome on Wednesday. She is only the second Malaysian woman to win an Asian Games medal in the event, after Fatehah Mustapa at Incheon 2014.
The Star reported that it is her first individual Asian Games medal. A day earlier she had won silver in the women's team sprint.
How the final played out
Chinese riders took the top two places:
- Gold: Yuan Liying (China)
- Silver: Wang Lijuan (China)
- Bronze: Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri (Malaysia)
Teammate Nur Alyssa Mohd Farid also reached the final and finished fifth.
Both Malaysians through the semi-finals
Both Malaysians rode well in the semi-finals. Nur Alyssa won the first heat, ahead of the eventual champion Yuan Liying. Izzah finished second in the second heat behind Wang Lijuan.
That put two Malaysians in the final. China's experience showed in the medal race, but Izzah held on for a podium place.
Two medals in two days
Izzah has had a strong week. On Tuesday, 29 September, she rode with Anis Amira Rosidi and Nur Alyssa Farid to take team sprint silver. The trio set a national record of 48.023s in qualifying, and their silver improved on Malaysia's team sprint bronze at Hangzhou 2022.
A bronze in the medal table
Bernama described Izzah's bronze as one of Malaysia's highlights on the 12th day of competition. Malaysia also won two esports bronzes that day, in Identity V and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
The official standings this morning show Malaysia 11th with six golds, five silvers and 12 bronzes, a total of 23 medals. The contingent needs three more golds to equal the national record of nine from Guangzhou 2010.
What's next for Izzah (Malaysia time)
Izzah and Nur Alyssa are now riding in the women's individual sprint. The early rounds are on Thursday. The quarter-finals start on Friday at about 9.18am, and the medal races finish that afternoon, with a possible deciding race at about 4.56pm.
The men are also racing. Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang is in the men's sprint semi-finals on Thursday afternoon, and the men's keirin is on Friday.
Why it matters
Women's sprinting has not always had much attention in Malaysian track cycling. Izzah's medal, alongside the team sprint record and silver, shows the national squad has more depth than before. Malaysia hosts the SEA Games in 2027, which gives these riders a major event at home to aim for.
Key takeaways
- Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri won bronze in the women's keirin on 30 September.
- She is the second Malaysian woman to win an Asian Games keirin medal, after Fatehah Mustapa in 2014.
- China's Yuan Liying won gold and Wang Lijuan took silver. Nur Alyssa Mohd Farid finished fifth.
- Izzah also won team sprint silver the day before.
FAQ
Who was the first Malaysian woman to win an Asian Games keirin medal? Fatehah Mustapa, at Incheon 2014.
How many medals has Izzah won at Aichi-Nagoya 2026? Two so far: team sprint silver and keirin bronze.
Is Izzah racing again? Yes. She is entered in the women's individual sprint, which finishes on Friday 2 October.
Sources: Bernama, Malay Mail, theSun, The Star, Aichi-Nagoya 2026 official results