NILAI: Track rider Azizulhasni Awang regained his crown after a three-year absence at the National Championships in Nilai on Thursday (June 11).
But rather than dwelling on his victory, Azizul heaped praise on the opponent he defeated in two heats to win the men's elite sprint title at the National Velodrome.
Emerging talent Akmal Nazimi Jusena, also known as Along, announced his arrival on the national stage after pulling off the upset of the day by ousting Olympian Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom to set up a final showdown against Azizul in the final.
The 38-year-old Azizul had earlier beaten Mohd Fadhil Zonis in the semi-finals.
Shah Firdaus, who had edged Azizul to win the keirin event on Wednesday, later bounced back to defeat Fadhil 2-0 and secure the bronze medal.
Azizul believed the sport is in good hands, saying the 21-year-old youngster's achievement of breaking the 10-second barrier in qualifying earlier in the day marked an important milestone for Malaysian cycling.
"I'm very proud of Along. Breaking 10 seconds is not easy. People who don't understand the sport may not realise it but it's like running a sub-10 second 100 metres.
"It shows how much he has developed over the past few months," said the former world champion.
Azizul added Akmal's rise came as no surprise, having watched the youngster's dedication and work ethic during training.
"I always see him arriving early at the gym and the track. He's changed his routine and his mindset. During training, he gives 110 per cent and I expected him to improve a lot.
"Seeing him break 10 seconds and perform well in the final made me very proud."
"Along has the acceleration and physical attributes to become one of our top riders.
"I think his talent is more suited to sprinting and if he stays consistent, he can go very far."
The veteran added he was encouraged by his own performance despite feeling his legs were heavy, saying the current phase was part of a planned training cycle as he continues to chase ranking points for the World Championships later in the year.
Azizul, however, remained cautious about looking too far ahead despite renewed calls for him to extend his career to the Los Angeles Olympics following a public show of support from the Sultan of Pahang Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
Sultan Abdullah had paid a visit to Nilai on Wednesday and expressed hope that Azizul would continue competing and make a bid for the LA Games.
The veteran said he had prepared himself for the possibility that his career was nearing its end but recent performances had given him renewed encouragement.
"I leave everything to Allah because we can plan, but Allah knows best. I don't want to overpromise or place too much expectation on myself. We'll take it one step at a time.
"I thought this could be the end of my career but things have been getting better. My recovery is still good and I'm managing well. We'll see how things develop and take it one step at a time, Insya-Allah."
In the women's elite sprint, defending champion Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri successfully retained her title after defeating Perak's Nur Alyssa Mohd Farid 2-1 in the final while Penang's Aliana Syafika Azizan claimed bronze with a 2-0 victory over Selangor's Amber Yong.
