Azizulhasni rode to glory in Korat with gold

Azizulhasni Awang (centre) showing his gold medal from the keirin race at the Asian Cycling Championships in Korat. Japan's Kazunari Watanabe (left) won the silver medal while Thailand's Worayut Kapunya (left) settled for bronze.

KORAT: The Pocket Rocket is back!

The Negaraku resonated across the Korat Velodrome for the first time as Azizulhasni Awang made amends for his Incheon Asian Games disappointment with a storming victory in the men’s keirin final at the Asian Cycling championships.

The 27-year-old failed to defend the keirin gold he won in Guangzhou at last year’s Asian Games. But it was a transformed Azizul in Korat.

He started to make his move after the derny (motorised bicycle for pacing) slipped away and was already in front as the strong field ploughed its way down the finishing line.

Azizul, however, defended his lead to regain the keirin title he last won in the 2008 edition in Nara, Japan.

Kazunari Watanabe of Japan settled for silver – the same colour he achieved in the Incheon Asiad – while Worayut Kapunya slipped past Chinese duo Xu Chao and Bao Saifei to snatch a surprise bronze for Thailand.

Josiah Ng failed to reach the top-six final after finishing fourth in his semi-final heat. Azizul got through after coming in second earlier.

Incheon Asiad gold medallist Mohamad Daneshvarkhourram of Iran failed to qualify for the final.

Azizul established himself as a world-class rider in 2008 – becoming the first Malaysian track cyclist to achieve a double at the Asian meet by winning the keirin and sprint.

Now, seven years later and the father of a two-year-old daughter, Azizul is bent on showing that he still has what it takes to ride to glory.

“It’s been a really long time since I last won the Asian keirin title. I was young then and it feels good to get to wear the white jersey again (given to the Asian champion),” said Azizul.

“I was calm although Josiah did not make it.

“I found the right spot to attack today and I’m glad it worked ... this makes up for not bringing back an Asian Games medal.”

Azizul dedicated the win to his wife Athiah Ilyana Abdul Samat as a “peace offering for not celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary”.

“Our wedding anniversary was on the day I flew out from Melbourne (Jan 30). I had no time to celebrate with her as I had to attend to some varsity matters and had training commitments. I hope this cheers her up.

“I also want to thank Sime Darby for continuing to sponsor me all these years,” said the Terengganu-born Azizul, who is now looking forward to defending the sprint title he won in Kazakhstan last year.    

Josiah, who won the Asian keirin title twice in 2012 and 2013, congratulated Azizul for restoring Malaysia’s proud record in the event.

“I’m not what I used to be after the crash in the World Cup leg in Mexico at the end of 2013. I don’t have the power to push hard ... I think it’s a good time to stop,” said Josiah, who earlier announced that he would quit after the Track World Championships in France at the end of this month. 

Malaysia had two riders – Muhd Shariz Efendi Mohd Shahrin and Muhd Khairul Nizam Rasol – in the boys’ keirin final. They failed to defend the title which Mohd Firdaus Mohd Zonis won for the last two years.

Mohd Firdaus has since moved up to the senior ranks. 

Shariz could only bag the bronze as Taiwan’s Kang Shih-feng won the race ahead of Oh Je-seok of South Korea.

Malaysia got a second bronze through Firdaus Eiman Mohd Zamri in the boys’ 10km scratch final.