Written by Kim Ong, wife of Josiah. (Josiah is busy cycling!)
Remember my blog entry last year entitled Josiah: Keirin Series?
“Keirin” is a track cycling event originated in Japan, where cyclists sprint for victory. There will be a motorbike pacing the riders for about five laps before they sprint in the final round. During the 5-lap pacing, they will position themselves and identify their tactics. There are rules and regulations to adhere to. The event was founded in 1948 and became an Olympic sport in 2000. It remains as a betting sport in Japan (just like horse-racing)!
Josiah is one of the many international riders (he’s the only Asian invited) to join the rest of the keirin locals in Japan, based in Shizuoka. He is riding in his second-year contract. This year, he races (raced – past tense) for 4 months in total from early April till end July. Last year, he raced for five months and went back to Malaysia for a few days in between to get married to me and returned the day after we got married while I moved to Australia on my own. He will be returning in five days time, I’m beyond excited!
I thought it would be great to share his photos and story with you all and since Josiah doesn’t have the avenue to blog, as his Public Relations Manager, I’ll try my very best to relate to you his story. I really think it’s worth sharing. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Left-Right: Michael D’Almeida (FRA), Andrii Vynokurov (UKR), , Francois Pervis (FRA), Teun Mulder (NED), Shane Alan Perkins (AUS), Josiah Ng (MAS), Jason Niblett (AUS), Simon Van Velthooven (NZ) and missing from photo are Matthew Crampton (GB) and Ross Edgar (GB).

The official launch of the programme 2010.



Putting their bikes together.

Getting their first medical check-up done.

Their home for the first week before they checked into Shizuoka. All the guys live under one roof.

Being briefed for the first time. Translator Maeda San relates back.


The riders’ hectic schedule. It’s like a real bootcamp. Not a leisure one!

This is how their bikes travel by air.

Everyone has their own locker.


You really can’t blame me for wanting a superhero husband!

Teletubby, ooo yeah!


The guys training.

Or, the bunch of homies dress up and take macho photos, chillin’ away.

Gorgeous and romantic. I hope when Josiah took this photo, he was thinking about me?

And wished we could experience Sakura together?

Because they were absolutely gorgeous.

This is the Keirin school gym building.

The workings of a keirin ergo machine.

Who wants an ergo session?

Seriously, I don’t know what my man was thinking when he took this photo, HAHAHAHAAHHAHA!

This is apparently called the PAIN MACHINE.

You see, Keirin is a popular sport in Japan, people enroll to study for it. Imagine dancers enrolling in dance schools for a dance career. Same thing.

Cyclists are smart people. They know their physics well. It’s all about velocity, momentum, bla bla… (insert scientific jargon here)

Keirin school garage. Look at the number of bikes! Wow.

They have their very own cafeteria. You can only imagine looking at them like school students or jailbirds. How?

This is the very famous Nagasawa Senior (left) and Junior (right).

Opposition team for the day. Japanese keirin riders. Wow, they all have their hair dyed!

Together, they view their own performance for the day and were being told what they did wrong and how they could improve.

After about a week or so, the guys went for their first keirin race at Nara. They will race all around Japan. Almost every city has their own velodrome. This is the first train they take to the main station where we connect with the super fast Shinkansen. It’s a small, old and slow train.

They have to dress smart in suits and this is how they look at 6am. Poor guys.

This is the Nara Mascot. Nara is celebrating it’s 1300 year old birthday. It used to be the capitol of Japan.

This is where they will be staying on the left, dormitory. The velodrome is on the right.

Hihara san from Japan Keirin Association. He accompanies the foreign riders to make sure everything goes smoothly. A true good guy who has a passion for cycling and keirin.

Josiah’s old friend, Akihiro Izesaki. He did his first international race back in 2000 (Asian Championships) which he won and Josiah got 5th. He’s now a multi millionaire and owns a Ferrari, and 4 Mercedes Benzs! What a baller!

Josiah’s being interviewed by the press. They ask his condition, how he likes being in Japan for the 4th time and plans for the race the next day. He is obligated to tell them his tactics. So funny how in Japan, anyone who has the slightest flu wears a mask.

Josiah’s waiting in line to have his bike inspected. They are particular about every single bike part. Very strict sport!

Getting his bike inspected. Like some kind of CSI of some sort!


Physical check-up on the race day itself, part of Zenken.

I know, at some point I have to let someone else touch Josiah’s chest – it can only be the doctor!

TV interview yet again!

Here’s where all the bikes are stored.

Josiah’s bike is awesome! By Nagasawa. *muahhhhh!* Work of art!

During the 3-day races, Josiah and his members are locked up in this room with only this view. No telecommunication devices are allowed during this whole time just in case anyone rigs the competition as Keirin is a betting sport. This means, I don’t get to talk to him for 4 days every fortnight. This is when I can almost go crazy! Not hearing his voice? You kidding me?

At the roller room before the actual race.

1st waiting room before the race.

Bikes of the riders in the next race. Wow, how pretty!

This is the second waiting room transferred from the first room.

This is 5 minutes before the race!

Shane Perkins in his 5bling gloves.

I’m telling ya, these gloves look great! They come in black too *winks*.

If you’re wondering why this number 1 dude look so bulky, those are the protection pads on his body because keirin is quite a rough sport, quite abit different in its rules as compared to World-level or Olympic-level Keirin.

These guys look like cannibals, seriously. Like in prison, and they start to go crazy and all! Lol!

Finally, the guys get released from the tracks.

When the guys are not racing, they do hang out in Tokyo a little (perhaps do some shopping for their wives AHEM and their girlfriends).

Josiah visits some of his friends in Tokyo. This is Yuki’s family.

Or they would hang out at a local bike shop.

And even check out other funky bikes!

Or go for outdoor festivals.

Josiah’s making his favourite, Mochi!

And he had to pay for the Mochi he made too!

How awesome. So much to shop! (FOR ME!???)

Or even take random photos of guys not wearing pants? (oh my goodness!)

Japan is so colourful! Wish I could go there again! But it’s not like he could hang out everyday like this you see. Most of the time he’s with the guys and I can’t invade their privacy by staying over with the rest of the boys or anything.

Nice bike huh?

Mmmm.. yummy! Oh wait. The shape is a little distracting.


Baja Hitam? Power Rangers? I don’t know. Hillarious!

So many people!

Some fashion.

Or, when they want to get out of cycling, they go for golf instead! Bizarre.

This is my Josiah, tiger in the woods!


With Keirin school teacher and friend, Tsuji Sensei.

My hungry vulture.

With Tomity and Kalavinka.

This is an interesting one!

This ends my report on Josiah’s race in 2010. Thank you for reading.
Four months is almost over and he is going to return into my arms in 5 more days. I’m more than happy!