A Singaporean cyclist died while taking part in an event at Pasir Gudang, Malaysia, on Saturday.
Mr Al-Rashid Jamalludin, 58, was riding in the MegaRide MTB Special Edition 2016 – an event where 1,320 participants tackled a range of distances over a rough, muddy terrain, some of it uphill.
Mr Jamalludin collapsed some 10km after the start, said the event’s manager, Mr Sariman Samuri.
Mr Sariman told The New Paper yesterday that paramedics had to ride a motorcycle to where Mr Jamalludin had collapsed.
He said: “The trail was an offroad one, so the ground was very rough and uneven, and the ambulance was unable to reach the place.
“I was driving a four-wheel drive so I was able to drive to where the man had collapsed.”
Mr Sariman, 53, had been on his way to deliver mineral water to the checkpoint when he received the call from the event crew at around 11am.
When he got to the scene, the Malaysian Civil Defence had pronounced Mr Jamalludin dead.
He said: “The civil defence medic told me that they gave him CPR but to no avail.”
Mr Sariman said when he arrived, Mr Jamalludin was lying down with his face covered and his hands folded on his stomach.
Mr Sariman said: “I was very shocked because this has never happened before.”
The event was organised by Johor Baru South Leisure Cycling Club, and it was in its sixth year.
Mr Jamalludin’s body was taken to the main road in Mr Sariman’s vehicle, where it was transferred to an ambulance and taken to Sultan Ismail Hospital.
The participants were not required to provide any health records during registration.
DIFFICULT COURSE
Mr Sariman said: “We have been organising this event for six years. We never request any health records from the participants, as we assume the riders understand the difficulty of the activity.
“This is mountain biking, so the trail is not flat. The riders would have to climb hills and cross small rivers during the trail.” Mr Jamalludin took part in the masters category, which is for cyclists over 45 years old in the 35km mountain bike jamboree event.
Mr Jamalludin’s family declined comment.
Friends and family of Mr Jamalludin have been leaving their condolences on his Facebook page since yesterday.
His son-in-law, Mr Mahmoud Jnad, left two posts on Facebook, expressing his love for his father-in-law, whom he said was a “wonderful father”.
lwenqi@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on May 24, 2016.
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