Josiah Ng Onn Lam (, born 2 February 1980) is a retired Malaysian professional track cyclist. Josiah was the first Malaysian to make it into the cycling Olympic finals becoming a three-time Olympian, representing Malaysia at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and

London 2012 The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

. In 2004 he was awarded the Malaysian Olympian and Sportsman of the Year after being the 1st Malaysian cyclist to make a final in cycling at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2010 Josiah won gold at the

Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations, which consists mostly, but not exclusively, of territories of the former British Empire. The event was first held in 1930 ...

, New Delhi in Keirin at age 30. He is known to have put Malaysia on the map as one of the best countries for developing world-class track cyclists. In 2008, he became the first non-Australian to win the 72nd Melbourne Cup on Wheels at the Melbourne Arena.

Early life

Josiah had loved cycling since the young age of five years old, as it represented freedom for him. At age 14, he eventually realised his dreams and bought a used racing bike for US$250. He entered his first criterium racing at age 15. Josiah comes from a very traditional Chinese family and didn't get the support of his parents in his chosen career path. He would often sneak out of the house when they had gone to sleep to walk to where his bike was stored 4 km away. At age 18, his father asked him to leave home and wished him luck with his endeavours. He survived by taking on odd jobs where he could, including teaching violin.

Cycling career

In 2002, Josiah applied for an IOC scholarship to train at the

World Cycling Centre The World Cycling Centre (WCC, ) is a coaching and training centre in Aigle, Switzerland. It contains a indoor velodrome, a BMX racing track and other non-cycling facilities. It was built in 2002 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Union Cy ...

in Switzerland under world-renowned coach, Fred Magne. In 2008, he became the first non-Australian to win the Melbourne Cup on Wheels at the Melbourne Arena. Ng took the lead with two laps to go in the eight-lap event, clutching his win Australia's dual Olympic gold medallist Graeme Brown, who finished second in the 2000m handicap event. After his cycling career, in February 2016, Josiah endorsed Malaysian fitness app ‘Fitness In My Pocket.’ Following a social media uproar about a RM10 mock cheque prize for a local Malaysian cycling event for children, Josiah chimed in about his entire journey that there is more to cycling competitively than winning prize money.

Retirement

In 2015 Josiah retired from competition at age 35 announcing at the 2014 UCI Track Cycling Asian Championships in Korat, Thailand that the 2015 World Championships would be his last outing in the sport. Josiah's last race was at the World Track Cycling Championships in Paris in February 2015.

Accidents

Four months before he was due to compete at the Athens Olympics 2004, Josiah endured a crash in which he broke his wrist, teeth, nose and lost a lot of blood. He was in the intensive care unit for several days. On 30 March 2007, Josiah broke his collarbone in a nasty crash in the first round of the Keirin event at the World Track Cycling Championships in Mallorca Spain. He was stretchered off the piste and taken to the hospital immediately and was ruled out of the competition after Italian Roberto Chiappa cut into his path and knocked him down. During the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Mexico Dec 2013 Josiah endured another severe crash in which suffered a punctured lung (

Pneumothorax A pneumothorax is collection of air in the pleural space between the lung and the chest wall. Symptoms typically include sudden onset of sharp, one-sided chest pain and dyspnea, shortness of breath. In a minority of cases, a one-way valve is ...

), broken collarbone (same one in Mallorca, Spain April 2007 during the World Championships), 2 broken ribs and a

concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, difficulty with thinking and concentration, sleep disturbances, a brief ...

Achievements

;2002 :

Asian Games The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes of Asia. The Games were regulated by Asian Games Federation from the 1951 Asian Games, first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until ...

(Busan, South Korea) – Silver Medallist ;2004 :

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...

– 5th in Keirin ;2005 :Japan International Keirin Invitational - Three 1st place wins :Nestors Keirin Cup (Penn State, USA) – 1st :Festival of Speed Sprint Tournament (Penn State, USA)- 1st :International Fastest Man on Wheels, (Penn State, USA) – 2nd ;2006 :UCI World Cup, Manchester, UK, – Bronze Medallist :UCI World Cup, Los Angeles, USA, – 5th :UCI World Cup, Sydney, Australia, – 2nd :Crowned UCI World Cup Champion in Sydney, Australia on 3 March :

(Doha, Qatar) – 2nd in Keirin ;2007 :Sid Patterson GP in Melbourne, Australia on – 1 February in Sprints; 3rd in Keirin :International Fastest Man on Wheels, (Penn State, USA), – 3 June :San Jose American Velodrome Challenge (AVC), – 1 July in Keirin, Team Sprint and Sprint. ;2009 :UCI World Cup, Melbourne, Australia, – Bronze in Keirin :Revolution 5th Austral Wheelrace, 16 December, Melbourne Arena, Melbourne, Australia, Track – 1st Sprint; 2nd Keirin ;2010 :Revolution 6th Austral Wheelrace, 27 February, Darebin International Centre, Melbourne, Australia, Track – 2nd Sprint :

, 6 October, New Delhi – 1st Keirin :

2010 Asian Games The 2010 Asian Games (), officially known as the XVI Asian Games () and also known as Guangzhou 2010 (), were a regional multi-sport event held from November 12 to 27, 2010 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (although several events commenced ear ...

, 17 November, Guangzhou – 2nd Keirin ;2011 :Sydney International Sprint Grand Prix -1st Keirin : Asian Cycling Championships - 2nd Keirin ;2012 : Asian Cycling Championships - 1st Keirin :Cologne International Sprint Grand Prix -1st Keirin :Tasmanian Christmas Carnival - 1st Latrobe 2000m Handicap :2013 : Asian Cycling Championships - 1st Keirin : Asian Cycling Championships - 1st Sprints :World Championships - 12th Keirin :Wangaretta Cycling Carnival - 1st 1000m Handicap

Awards

* 2004 Malaysian Olympian of the Year * 2004 Malaysian Sportsman of the Year * UCI Track World Cup Ranking * Keirin Year 2002 to 2003 – Ranked No.1 * Keirin Year 2004 to 2005 – Ranked No. 3 * Keirin Year 2005 – 2006 – Ranked No.1 * 9 times World Cup Medalist * Nominee of "Most Outstanding Youth of the Year 2007" AYA Awards

References

External links

* * (2002: sprint, team sprint; 2006: sprint) * (2006: team sprint) * (2006: keirin) * (2010: sprint, team sprint, keirin) * (2014: time trial, team sprint, keirin) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ng, Josiah 1980 births Living people Filipino emigrants to Malaysia Sportspeople from Manila Malaysian male cyclists Olympic cyclists for Malaysia Cyclists at the 2004 Summer Olympics Cyclists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Malaysia Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Malaysia Cyclists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games Cyclists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Cyclists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Cyclists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Asian Games silver medalists for Malaysia Asian Games bronze medalists for Malaysia Asian Games medalists in cycling Cyclists at the 2002 Asian Games Cyclists at the 2006 Asian Games Cyclists at the 2010 Asian Games Cyclists at the 2014 Asian Games Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games Medalists at the 2006 Asian Games Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games SEA Games medalists in cycling SEA Games gold medalists for Malaysia Competitors at the 2007 SEA Games Malaysian people of Cantonese descent Malaysian Christians Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in cycling Commonwealth Games gold medallists in cycling