Azizul faces longer ride back to Road to Gold programme

PETALING JAYA: National track cycling ace Datuk Azizulhasni Awang (pic) may have to wait until after the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games before making a return to the Road to Gold (RTG) programme.

RTG coordinator Datuk Stuart Ramalingam said he would personally welcome Azizulhasni back into the programme, but stressed that the proper process still has to be followed.

Stuart said the decision is not his alone as athletes are reviewed for inclusion in the programme at different stages.

The next review is only expected to take place after the Asian Games, which ends on Oct 4.

“I was asked about Datuk Azizulhasni a few months ago after he won in Nilai and I said then that I would be very happy to see him back in the programme if he meets the criteria,” said Stuart.

“If he meets the criteria, then I think his inclusion is a given. There should not be any issue with that.

“But RTG has its own structure and process. The next round of athlete reviews, whether someone comes in or goes out of the programme, will only take place after the Asian Games.

“So we will sit down after the Asian Games and this will definitely be discussed. I think that would be the right time for me to comment further on whether he will return to RTG.

“My role is to administer the programme, so I have to follow the process. Personally, I hope he will be back if he meets the criteria.’’

Previously, the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) had called on the Youth and Sports Ministry to reinstate Azizul into the RTG programme as part of his build-up towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

The timing is crucial as less than two weeks after the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Azizul and the rest of the national track cycling squad will head to Shanghai for the Track World Championships, which will count towards qualification for Los Angeles.

Azizul has yet to confirm whether he will push on until the 2028 Olympics, but MNCF president Datuk Amarjit Singh believes the Terengganu-born rider is more likely to continue if he receives the right support from the outset.

The 38-year-old Pocket Rocketman showed he still has plenty to offer when he struck gold in the keirin at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games two weeks ago.