Fakhruazam’s third placing despite dramatic fall near finish line shows resilience achieved through CIMB-JCM’s training

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 (Bernama) -- CIMB – Junior Cycling Malaysia (JCM) cyclist, Fakhruazam Hanifiah, 18, proved his mettle in the 75km Ronde van Poeldijk race when he clinched third place amongst 25 under-19 semi pro-cyclists across Europe, despite the drama of a fall in the final 500 metres of the ride.

Fakhruazam managed to break away from the rest of the group early in the race with two other cyclists. Unfortunately, due to the rain, he lost control and tumbled on the slippery road surface in the final round. The Johor-born cyclist then quickly recovered, and spurred on by spectators who strongly cheered him on, finished the race in third place.

"The race was very challenging as temperatures reached 21 degrees Celsius and the rain caused the road to be quite slippery. I had to cycle cautiously and it was very unfortunate for me to fall at the last lap. However, I was determined to end the race and I am glad that I still managed to win third place,” commented Fakhruazam.

Dato’ Hamidah Naziadin, CEO of CIMB Foundation said, “We are extremely proud of this podium finish in an elite cycling event by Fakhruazam, our very own CIMB-JCM supported cyclist. This race was part of the team’s international exposure to world-class races to help them raise their game by competing with top semi-pro cyclists across Europe. Fakhruazam’s victory is not only a testament of his hard work and determination, but also of the effectiveness of CIMB-JCM’s development programme in developing a talent pipeline of world-class athletes.”

Fakhruazam is one of the seven young cyclists who were sent by CIMB Foundation and JCM to participate in 11 races across Belgium, France, and Netherlands in a 20-day racing programme called “Path of Champions”, designed to groom high potential junior talents into elite world-class cyclists. These cyclists were chosen based on their stellar performances in national races organized through the CIMB-JCM Junior Cycling Development Programme. They subsequently underwent a grueling one-month training and conditioning course to prepare them for the “Path of Champions”.

About CIMB Foundation

CIMB Foundation is a non-profit organisation set up to implement CIMB Group’s corporate social responsibility and philanthropic initiatives. Established in November 2007, CIMB Foundation is tasked with strategising and implementing corporate responsibility initiatives, disbursing millions to various programmes related to community development, sports and education.

The Foundation believes in long-term sustainable growth and giving back to society. Its initiatives are aimed at empowering communities in a transparent, measurable and accountable way to enable them to be independent and enhance development. The Foundation focuses on three specific areas: Community Development, Sports and Education.

In the past 10 years, CIMB Foundation has disbursed about RM120 million through 962 projects benefiting 700,000 people in the communities served by CIMB Group, making CIMB Foundation one of ASEAN's leading CSR champions.

SOURCE : CIMB GROUP

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name : Suria Zainal
Group Corporate Communications
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CIMB Group Holdings Berhad
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Email: suriawati.zainal@cimb.com

--BERNAMA