Speed up the cycle

He will rise: Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom crashing during the keirin final.

Azizul calls for a headstart as he passes baton to Shah

NATIONAL track cycling champion Datuk Azizulhasni Awang wants preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics to start now.

It may seem early but Azizul said it was important to get a headstart in their effort to win a gold medal for the country.

Azizul confirmed that he will definitely not be around in Los Angeles and wants Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom to continue his legacy in Los Angeles in four years time.

The 36-year-old two-time Olympic medallist congratulated Shah Firdaus for his achievement in beating the odds to reach the men’s keirin final on Sunday and said Malaysia have found his successor in the sport.

In the final at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome, Shah Firdaus was in a good position to secure the bronze medal coming out into the final straight but Japan’s Shinji Nakano made contact with him and both crashed, taking down Britain’s Jack Carlin in the process.

Shah Firdaus initially placed fourth but was then relegated to sixth place for moving down to the inside of the track when an opponent was already there.

It was still his best outing at the Olympics after only reaching the quarter-finals in his debut in Tokyo three years ago.

Azizulhasni Awang has confirmed that he won’t be around in Los Angeles and wants Firdaus to continue his legacy in four years time.

“To enter the keirin final (final) at the Olympic Games is not an easy thing, that is a fact,” said Azizul.

“At the Tokyo Olympics, he was eliminated in the quarter-finals and in Paris this time, his appearance and performance in the final was outstanding.

“Entering the remaining 100m of the race, Shah came with a convincing speed and looked good to get at least the bronze medal but there was a crash at the last corner, which caused him to fall.

“It’s a performance that we should all be proud of and I hope that Shah will continue to work hard to improve his performance from time to time to continue to excel at the international level.

“The most important thing is to use the next four years as best as possible to prepare for Los Angeles. I believe Shah will be much better and can do much better by then.

“The baton has been passed. I am sending it to you, Shah Firdaus. Stop talking about me. It’s not about me anymore.

“After my heart operation, I already promised my family that Paris will be my last Olympics,” said Azizul, who had a bittersweet fifth Olympic outing in Paris.

He managed to break his national sprint record but his fifth Olympic outing turned to misery when he was disqualified in the first round of the keirin event.