Azizulhasni's Paris Olympics spot confirmed, to be first Malaysian to compete in five games

PETALING JAYA: Track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang will become the first Malaysian male athlete to compete in five Olympic games.

He and teammate Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom both confirmed their spots for the keirin and individual sprints in the Paris Olympics later this year after the conclusion of the Track Nations Cup in Milton, Canada on Sunday (April 14).

The final round in Milton was the last Olympics qualifying event for Paris.

Azizul and Shah Firdaus did not compete in Milton but have enough ranking points to qualify for the Olympics on merit.

The confirmation of the two Olympics slots was relayed by Malaysian National Cycling Federation vice president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill, who is also an executive member of the world body, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

Double Asian champion Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri also unofficially made the cut for the keirin event in Paris but this will only be confirmed when the UCI sends the list to member nations on April 22.

Nurul placed eighth in the women's keirin event in Milton.

Azizul, 36, has an outstanding record in keirin and will be hoping to make the podium in what will be his last Olympic games in Paris.

Azizul made his Olympics debut in Beijing in 2008 and reached the final in London four years later.

Azizul made history as the first Malaysian cyclist to win an Olympic medal with a bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and stepped up with a silver in Tokyo three years ago.