KUALA LUMPUR – National track cycling ace Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang bagged a silver in the men’s keirin event at the International Cycling Union (UCI) Track Nations Cup in Indonesia as proof that he will be a medal contender at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 35-year-old, who underwent open heart surgery last April, came in second in the event at the Jakarta International Velodrome tonight.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics keirin silver medallist finished just 0.024 of a second (s) behind Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen, who clocked 10.239s, in the final. The Dutchman has won the world title three times in a row since 2020.
Israeli rider Mikhail Iakovlev took home the bronze while another Malaysian representative, Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom failed to complete the final after being involved in a crash with New Zealand cyclist Sam Dakin in the last lap.
Azizulhasni, also known as the Pocket Rocketman, is set to compete in the sprint event tomorrow.
Azizulhasni, who underwent open heart surgery due to a rare heart condition known as anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery at the Epworth Richmond Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, returned to action at the end of last year.
Earlier, Muhammad Ridwan Sahrom failed to qualify for the last eight when he lost in the first round of repechage.
Meanwhile, up-and-coming Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri fell at the 1/16 stage in the women’s sprint event.
The 19-year-old, who was the sole Malaysian woman rider to get past the qualifying round of the sprint event, lost to 2021 and 2022 World Championships keirin silver medallist Mina Sato of Japan. – Bernama, February 25, 2023
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