Gold in 2020
SPECIAL: Azizulhasni’s drive and determination can see him top podium in Tokyo Olympics, says Beasley
NATIONAL head coach John Beasley has a special relationship with national track star Azizulhasni Awang and an unwavering belief that his charge is capable of winning the keirin gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Beasley branded Azizulhsani, who delivered the nation’s first Olympic cycling medal when he won bronze in Rio, as a ‘once in a lifetime’ athlete who he believes still has another two Olympics in him.
“Azizul is a special person — four world championship medals, World Cup champion, Asian Games champion and a Commonwealth gold taken off him, I hope we can have another one like him but maybe not in my lifetime,” said Beasley.
“Due to his size, it has been tough for him to make an impact in the sprint where you have to make you own pace (without drafting) but he has been able to capitalise on the pace of others in the keirin.
“But no one in the world compares to Azizul in terms of watts per kilo (power to weight ratio).
“He has been able to produce 29 watts per kilo in the past — by comparison, Sir Chris Hoy managed 27.5.
“His max power output to date has been 1,880 watts and we believe that if he can achieve 2,000 watts by the time we are in Tokyo, he can win the gold.
“I am standing here because I believe he can do it and I would not want to waste any of his time if I did not think so.
“The upside to Azizul is that he is only 28 and still has a lot of room to grow.
“Chris won his first Olympic gold at 26 and was still performing at the highest level at 36.”
Beasley said Azizulhasni’s mental strength is what sets him apart from other athletes.
“He is smaller than the other riders and can’t push as big a gear as them, he has a (size) 53 chain ring (size 12 sprocket) while the bigger guys push a 56 or even a 58.
“He is also colour blind and flat footed but is incredibly tenacious.
“A lot of riders go out there and
(From left) think about the outcome, they think about what will happen if they lose but Azizul just goes out there and competes.
“He does his homework well and makes good decisions in a race. He respects everyone but fears nobody.
“There has been talk that Malaysian athletes lack mental strength but that certainly does not apply to Azizul.”
Beasley has often been referred to as a father figure by Azizulhasni and fellow national team rider Fatehah Mustapa but the Australian has made it clear that he too has learnt a thing or two from the ‘Pocket Rocket Man’.
“Taking athletes out of their nurturing environment and placing them in a strange place half way round the world in Melbourne (elite squad training base) where they have to be very independent is tough,” said Beasley.
“But it is something all athletes
and Azizulhasni Awang.
have to adapt to, otherwise we would have countless champions.
“I guess I have been a father figure to many of the riders as I am older than them and in some cases, am older than their own parents.
“But it goes both ways as Azizulhasni too has given me some great advice.
“At the (London) World Championships this year, I asked him if there was anything more I could do for him.
“His answer was ‘I want my old coach back, the one who is calm and I can draw strength from and not trying to change the world.
“I slept on it and woke up and thought that was the best advice anyone has ever given me.
“From then on, I was the most relaxed person at the (Rio) Olympics.”
Beasley added that his immense passion for the sport and his drive to develop cycling in Malaysia has made him a few enemies.
“I have got lofty goals and I do upset some people doing that.
“I have a great passion for the sport and I know where cycling is in Malaysia at the moment and where it can be.
“I feel that it is my job to push the button sometimes and making people accountable certainly does not make you the flavour of the month.
“But I can live with that and sleep comfortably knowing that I have done my best to take this sport to a higher level.”
Beasley again stressed the need for Malaysia to change from a sports school system to a club-based system to see a huge improvement in grassroots level development.
He is happy that the National Sports Council set up the Junior Cycling Malaysia circuit earlier this year but made it clear that more of such races are needed to keep the sport moving in the right direction.