PETALING JAYA: Lau New Joe will take his love affair with track cycling up a notch when he makes his Commonwealth Games debut this week.
The 21-year-old has a busy programme ahead as he takes part in three back-to-back track endurance events at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
The men’s elimination is on Friday followed by the 10km scratch race the next day and ending with the 40km points race on Sunday.
New Joe admitted he was excited to have the opportunity to race with world class cyclists from Australia, Britain, New Zealand and Canada.
“There will be many Olympians in the field and this will be a whole new adventure for me,” said New Joe.
“I’m super excited as I have competed in the Commonwealth Youth Games before but this time it’s the real Commonwealth Games.
“For me, the experience of competing on a big stage like the Commonwealth Games will be the motivation for me to strive for glory.
“I want to race without any regrets,” added New Joe, who won a bronze in the road race event when he took part in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago in 2023.
New Joe added he was going to start without any expectations given that he is the only representative for Malaysia in the track endurance events.
“The other countries can field up to three representatives, so there will be a qualifying round.
“I can’t promise specific results but I want to give my best,” said New Joe, who only took up the sport four years ago.
The Kuala Lumpur-born New Joe was only 17 when he decided to switch from speed skating to cycling.
He went under the wings of former great Datuk Ng Joo Ngan and has never looked back then.
New Joe claimed one gold (team pursuit) and one silver (points race) at the Thailand SEA Games last year.
He also clinched two silver and two bronze (omnium, elimination) medals at the MNCF President’s Cup series in Nilai in January.
“I feel grateful to have met the right people who have shared their knowledge with me.
“Joo Ngan taught me from zero until I was brought into the national team programme under the National Sports Council.
“I still occasionally train with Joo Ngan during the off-season.”