"You're a coach's son, but if you can't compete, go home" - Rosman Alwi's father

The nation’s legendary cyclist, Rosman Alwi, admitted that he has been slapped, his ears have been pulled and he has been insulted by his own father in front of his peers. However, he took the pain and turned it into something positive as an aid to success.

Although the son of the former national cycling coach, Alwi Ahmad, thinks of those heart wrenching memories in his glory, the Asian Sprint Champion who won the title in 1987 did not give up.

Rosman Alwi (right) with Tan Sri Darshan Singh who was the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) President at that time. -ROSMAN ALWI photo

Reminiscing about the past, Rosman who is dubbed ‘The Turtle Head’ said the pressure from his father ensued from his own failure to put himself at par with the rest of the track cycling athletes.

He explained that it happened when he and his friends were undergoing training. His father said: ‘Others can do it, you can’t. You are such a disgrace, you are a coach’s son, if you can’t (compete), go home’.

In his vivid memories, his father said: ‘Don’t train if you want to play like this. Cycling is not child’s play. You don’t use machines, but your energy. If you would rather waste your energy and time or deliberately hurting your body, just quit already!’

It pained him to hear those hurtful words, but those words actually make Rosman miss his late father who passed away seven years ago.

One of the flashback photos from an international championship Rosman participated in.

He said being the national cycling coach’s son was not easy when he spent most of his time with his father, especially since he started his career in his teen years.

“I was frustrated in the beginning as I have never been reprimanded in front of my friends before. And when I was treated like that, I wanted to punch him. But when I thought about it, I shouldn’t do so.”

“I trained until I almost lost consciousness, he (father) would come… When he was worried, he wouldn’t push me too much. As a trainer, he was very serious but after training, all the athletes would gather around like his own children. This house became some sort of eatery, a meeting point for all international athletes who were training with him.”

Rosman still keeps this bicycle which was made in Taiwan as a token of remeberance when he won in the international championship. ASTRO AWANI photo / SHAHIR OMAR

“That is what I really respect about him and that is why I have continued his legacy up until today,” said Rosman, who described punctuality as his father’s ultimate discipline as a coach.

The sprint champion was involved in a drug scandal when he failed a urine test during the 1981 SEA Games in Manilla, which caused him to be banned for two years.

However, he returned to the international stage with a bronze in Asian Cycling Championship in Bangkok in 1983.

Medals from the international championship that are still in Rosman’s possession as a remembrance of his two-decade long career. - ASTRO AWANI photo / SHAHIR OMAR

The highlight of Rosman’s career was in 1985 and 1987 when he won two gold and two SEA Games record in a row, thus redeeming his disappointment in 1981.

At the age of 40, Rosman competed in his last SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in 2001 before announcing his retirement from his beloved sport a year later.