AZIZULHASNI RETURNS ONTO WORLDD CUP PODIUM IN B ERLIN
Aizizul in seventh heaven after ending seven-year medal drought
PETALING JAYA: Track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang was in seventh heaven after snatching his first World Cup medal of the season at the Berlin leg in Germany.
The 30-year-old made it to the UCI Track World Cup podium for the first time in seven years after an impressive ride to win the bronze in the keirin final in the third leg of the series on Saturday.
Azizul, the Jakarta Asian Games sprint champion, claimed the final podium spot behind 2017 sprint world champion Matthew Glaetzer of Australia.
Dutchman Matthijs Buchli, who dethroned Azizul as the new world champion at the 2018 Track Cycling World Championships in Apeldoorn, Holland, early this year, won the keirin race.
It was certainly a high-quality contest with four out of the six finalists, including Azizul, have World Cup victories to their names.
France’s Sebastien Vigier – the sprint bronze medallist at this year’s world meet – finished fourth ahead of Colombian Kevin Santiago Quintero Chavarro.
Holland’s Harrie Lavreysen, also a former World Cup winner, finished sixth.
“I am not in the best of form yet but it’s enough to win here. Alhamdulillah, I am grateful.
“I’m just building up slowly as my priority is to do well at the Asian Cycling Championships (in Jakarta next month) and World Championships (in Poland in February). These two events offer more ranking points towards the Olympic qualification campaign,” said the Rio Olympic keirin bronze medallist.
Azizul reached the top-six final for the first time this season after he finished second in the second-round heat behind Buchli.
Azizul progressed to the second round after winning his first-round heat involving four other cyclists.
The bronze is a boost to Azizul’s confidence after he was eliminated early in the first two legs in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France and Milton, Canada last month.
Azizul, being the oldest among the six finalists, can look with plenty of optimism ahead to his bid to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics in two years.
The remaining three legs of the World Cup will be in England (Dec 14-16), New Zealand (Jan 18-20) and Hong Kong (Jan 25-27).
On Friday, Azizulhasni combined with Muhd Shah Firdaus Sahrom and Muhd Fadhil Zonis to finish 13th in the men’s team sprint. The trio clocked 45.134 in their qualifying run.