Anuar Manan sacrifices for the revival of Sarawak cycling

MELAKA, 5 Oct: To help develop the sport of cycling in Sarawak, former national runner Anuar Manan is willing to stay away from his family when he has now settled permanently in the state since last January.

Anuar, who is currently serving as the head coach of track and highway cycling in Sarawak, said the decision was made after seeing great potential among the state's riders besides sharing his experience.

"At first, my family was a bit upset that I had to move away. This is the first time I've lived away from my family for a long period of time.

"But now they're used to it. If I have a vacation, I'll go back to my family", he said in an interview with TVS at Le Tour De Langkawi (LTdL) 2026 recently.

However, the sacrifices began to pay off when Sarawak's cycling squad won three gold medals and three bronze at SUKMA 2026, thereby giving Anuar confidence in the potential of the state.

According to him, the achievement is not just a victory on the SUKMA stage, but an indication that Sarawak has a solid foundation for further development in cycling.

For Anuar, the decision to settle in Sarawak was not just about accepting a new assignment, but an opportunity to contribute back to sports that had become a big part of her life.

He said that after such a long life as a runner, his role has now changed as more time is devoted to guiding and managing the development of athletes.

"Before, as runners, we thought more about ourselves, how to win and do our best.

"Now as a coach, we have to think about the runners. It's a big change", he said.

Anuar is no stranger in the national cycling arena when he has represented the national team, apart from playing with LeTua Cycling Team, Terengganu Cycling Team, Islam Azad University Continental Team, Geumsan Ginseng Asia and Champion System and Synergy Baku.

Terrenganu's son has made a name for himself in the Tour de Malaysia and Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) as well as several European tournaments. - TVS