KUALA LUMPUR - Drawing cartoons and natural landscapes help national track cyclist Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri to relieve stress and unleash her imagination.
Nurul Izzah, 20, who will make her Olympics debut at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, which will take place from July 26 to Aug 11, said that drawing is a hobby that serves as therapy for her to calm her mind.
She said it helps her clear her mind as she completes her artwork during her free time.
"I like to draw beautiful sceneries and cartoons. Sometimes I look at the Pinterest app for reference. I’m not a professional artist, but I’ve enjoyed drawing since school. My school books are also full of my drawings.
"I relieve stress with this hobby. My father can also draw, and he made it his hobby. I think my interest in it comes from him," she told Bernama recently.
Nurul Izzah said that although the artistic hobby is her passion, she still wants to make track cycling her main career.
Currently based in Europe in preparation for the Paris Olympics, she said that she is adapting to her new bicycle, which she will be using at the quadrennial sports extravaganza.
"The new bicycle is smoother, a bit lighter compared to my previous bicycle. The position is also different, so I need to quickly get used to this bicycle.
"I also hope that while I’m in Europe, I can learn a lot from the world-class cyclists," she said.
Besides Nurul Izzah, Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang and Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom make up the track cycling team for the Paris Olympics.
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Name: Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri
Age: 20
Date of birth: 11 September 2003
Place of Birth: Sungai Petani, Kedah
Number of siblings: 4 (second child)
Nicknames: 'The Pocket Rocketwoman'
Hobbies: Drawing, reading novels
Highest Achievements: Gold medal in the 500-metres (m) time trial at the Asian Track Cycling Championships (ACC) in New Delhi 2022, two gold medals, in the 500m time trial and keirin, at the ACC 2024 in New Delhi.
Asian Games Hangzhou 2023: Bronze medal in the team sprint.
Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2022: Four gold medals, in the 500m time trial, individual sprint, team sprint and keirin. - BERNAMA