KUALA LUMPUR – National track cycling ace, Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang is likely to get back in gear much earlier than expected.
Without divulging further, national head coach John Beasley said his team were working hard to get Azizulhasni ready to compete in his first small race by the end of this year.
Not only that, the Australian coach expected the 34-year-old cyclist to participate in his first big tournament in the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Track Cycling Nations Cup next February since he last competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, last year.
UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup is part of the qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
“There’s no announcement yet on the location of the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup, though somewhere in Asia I guess. We only have the date locked in at this point.
“However, the performances will come much later, closer to the Paris Olympics. We just need to focus on the qualification to get him there,” he told Bernama when contacted.
The Tokyo Olympics silver medallist is still undergoing rehabilitation following an open-heart surgery for a rare heart condition known as an anomalous aortic origin of right coronary artery (AAORCA) at the Epworth Richmond Hospital in Melbourne, last April.
The dangerous disease can cause a heart attack and sudden death if not treated immediately.
Following that, Azizulhasni had previously expected to return to training next year.
Asked about Azizulhasni’s condition, Beasley was pleased to see that the Melbourne-based cyclist’s recovery was progressing well and that he appeared healthy at the moment.
Beasley also mentioned “The Pocket Rocketman” had begun training at the track last week including doing some three-hour road rides.
Nevertheless, he pointed out that the Dungun-born cyclist had lost six kilogrammes of weight after the surgery.
“We need to rebuild a lot of his muscles, give him time to get back to full fitness and you will see ‘The Pocket Rocketman’ back to his best,” he added. – Bernama, July 15, 2022
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