Azizul celebrating after winning the silver in the men’s track cycling keirin final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan and (below) recovering after a high-speed crash during the Track World Cup in Brisbane, Australia. — AFP
AZIZULHASNI Awang is no stranger to overcoming adversity.
Despite the challenges he has faced in his life, he wants fellow Malaysians to strive for the best for themselves and the country, just as our forefathers did to gain independence for all.
From his early rebellious years, where he was kicked out of the Bukit Jalil Sports School hostel for his mischievous ways, to having to grind his way through and prove the skeptics wrong, the diminutive cyclist has beat all kinds of obstacles to become one of the best sports athletes the nation has ever produced.
A two-time Olympic medal winner, Azizul is also the first Malaysian world champion in an Olympic Games discipline and a 10th time Asian champion, as well as the winner of four National Sportsman of the Year titles.
He suffered a serious injury during the final of the World Cup meet in Manchester in 2011 when a 20cm wooden splinter pierced his left calf, which required surgery to remove. Just two months later, he was back on his bike.
He even overcame a restricted training programme due to the Covid-19 pandemic but went on to win a silver in the Tokyo Olympics last year.
Now he is facing his latest hurdle in life – one Azizul knows he must to stay strong to overcome.
The 34-year-old shocked the nation when he revealed that he was recovering from open heart surgery for anomalous aortic origin of right coronary artery early this year.
Azizul first complained of chest pains in February. It was only after further checks with a consultant heart cardiologist in Melbourne that his condition was diagnosed.
It was a natural birth defect, but his condition had become dire with age and the high-intensity training routines he had constantly been exposed to throughout his career.
There was a very high chance of getting cardiac arrest, given his nature as a world-class athlete, if he had continued without medical intervention.
In Azizul’s own words, he was dicing with death each time he went into full sprinting mode during a cycling competition.
But he is hoping to give it a shot at making a full recovery and returning to high-level competitions with the help of medical experts and unflinching support from his family.
“The memories of that day in February remain strong, but I choose to look at it from a positive angle,” said Azizul.
“I took it as a challenge to come back stronger. I went through different emotions and physical stress at various points in time as I tried to return to peak performance level.
“It would have been easy to put away my bike and find a new direction, but I don’t want to make that a choice for myself.
“I hope you all don’t give up easily on life whatever your job is. You deserve to taste the sweetness that has been planned for you,” he said.
Malaysians from all walks of life have wished him well as he tries to ride out the final chapter of his glorious career.
He is more determined than ever to make a record fifth Olympics bid in Paris in 2024 for the sake of his beloved country.
Even as a child, becoming an Olympics track cyclist was already something Azizul was committed to. He fell in love with the sport when his father bought his first bicycle at the age of 10.
The Dungun boy was also a bright student, scoring straight As in his school exams, but he made up his mind to pursue a career as an athlete.
His late former coach Rozimi Omar in Terengganu then allowed Azizul to be released to the national squad. That paved the way for the start of a great relationship with Australian coach John Beasley.
World Championship and World Cup medals quickly followed despite Azizul often being told by critics that he would never succeed in his sporting pursuit of excellence because of his small build.
At 1.67m tall, Azizul is always the smallest on the podium compared to his towering rivals.
“Track cycling is a sport dominated by the Europeans and still is, but I have proven that with the right attitude and preparation, it is possible to be competitive at the top.
“I have always practised a ‘never give up’ attitude when it comes to overcoming hurdles.
“Every obstacle we face is actually a test and lesson for us to become a better version of ourselves,” said Azizul, who also hopes that what he has achieved in his sporting endeavours can rub off on fellow Malaysians chasing after their own goals.
