ALOR SETAR - Two cyclists sustained serious injuries while five others suffered minor injuries after being involved in an accident during the National Olympic Talent Carnival (KBOK) 2026 in Jitra yesterday.
Kedah Consumer Affairs and Cost of Living, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Muhammad Radhi Mat Din the two athletes, representing Sarawak and Johor respectively, suffered fractures to their right wrists when the crash occurred during the race.
"Preliminary information received from the State Sports Council (MSN) indicates that an early sprint occurred about 100 metres after the race began, causing the riders to brush against each other before falling,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
He said all those injured were taken to Hospital Jitra for treatment and that such accidents in cycling competitions were inevitable due to the high-speed nature of the sport and close proximity among riders during races.
According to him, the remaining cycling events and other competitions at KBOK 2026 in Kedah from April 11 to 15 have proceeded smoothly, and expressed hope that all athletes would be able to complete their events without injury.
The carnival involves more than 1,700 athletes from 14 states competing in nine sports, including cycling, weightlifting, karate and squash, throughout the five-day event. - BERNAMA