'Azizulhasni too focused on strategy' - Former national track cyclist

KUALA LUMPUR - National track cyclist Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang may have been too focused on strategy till he unintentionally passed the pacer in the first heat of the men’s keirin event at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France on Saturday, former national track cyclist Mohammad Rizal Tisin said.

He added that the strategy was good but Mohd Azizulhasni, as a highly experienced competitor, should have been careful with his movements so that he would not breach race rules, pointing out that there might have been unavoidable issues that caused the cyclist to make the mistake.

"Every cyclist has to know the rules but maybe he was too focused on his plan and inadvertently made the mistake because of several disturbances. If we look at Mohd Azizulhasni’s statement, the mistake was due to continuous blocking by French cyclist Rayan Helal.

"The pacer was also moving rather slow. Azizul did not have any problems previously, but this matter can’t be controlled,” he said.

Meanwhile, local sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli expressed his view that the mistake might have occurred as the 36-year-old cyclist felt pressured or was too ambitious to ensure he finished the first heat.

"Such an experienced keirin cyclist should not make such mistakes. If we talk about the four years before Paris with expenses incurred, with the preparation and training and his bad health experience,” he said.

Pekan said Mohd Azizulhasni also did not have to force himself to continue to compete after this when asked about whether the cyclist could carry on with his cycling career till the Los Angeles Olympics.

"It’s up to Azizulhasni whether he wants to carry on as an athlete. Imagine for the sprint, how much energy is needed even though we see he is well, we see he has the energy but we don’t know his body fitness.

Meanwhile, three-time Olympian Josiah Ng also expressed his surprise at what happened to Mohd Aziziulhasni yesterday, describing it as a nightmare for local fans.

"If I could guess as to what happened, it looked like the pressure got to both of them (Mohd Azizulhasni and Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom). I don't know what he (Mohd Azizulhasni) was doing, he didn't need to go early.

"I think the pressure got to him. I mean, it's a big pressure to bring home our first gold medal.

And I saw Shah's face, and I knew when Aizazul went in, Shah was affected. And that's why Shah raced like a beginner,” he added.

Malaysia’s dream of winning our first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics was dashed when Mohd Azizulhasni was disqualified from the first heat of the men’s keirin event at Velodrom Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines for overtaking the derny (pacer bicycle) unintentionally.

Malaysia’s chef-de-mission Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin later shared that the appeal against Mohd Azizulhasni’s disqualification was denied by the Chief Commissioner and the world cycling body UCI representatitve maintained the disqualification. - BERNAMA