A MEDAL AT LONG LAST
Azizulhasni takes bronze after seven years at World Cup
AZIZULHASNI Awang won his first UCI Track World Cup medal in seven years at the Berlin leg in Germany yesterday. The 30-year-old produced an impressive ride against some of the best riders in the world to win the keirin bronze in the third leg of the series.
Azizulhasni, the Indonesia Asian Games sprint gold medallist, finished behind gold medallist and reigning world champion Matthijs Buchli of the Netherlands and silver medallist Matthew Glaetzer of Australia.
France’s Sebastien Vigier, the sprint bronze medallist at this year's world meet, took fourth place ahead of Colombia’s Kevin Santiago Quintero Chavarro.
Holland’s Harrie Lavreysen, also a former World Cup winner, took sixth spot.
Azizulhasni reached the top-six final for the first time this season after he finished second in the second round heat behind Buchli.
The former world champion advanced to the second round after winning his first round heat involving four other cyclists.
He was eliminated early in the opening two legs in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France and Milton, Canada last month.
The remaining three legs of the World Cup will be held in England (Dec 14-16), New Zealand (Jan 18-20) and Hong Kong (Jan 25-27).
“I am not in the best of form yet but it’s enough to win here. I am grateful.
“I’m just building up slowly as my priority is to do well at the Asian Championships (in Jakarta next month) and the World Championships (in Poland in February).
“These two events offer more ranking points towards the 2020 Olympic qualification campaign,” said Azizulhasni, a bronze medallist in keirin at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
On Friday, Azizulhasni combined with Shah Firdaus Sahrom and Fadhil Zonis to finish 13th in the team sprint. The trio clocked 45.134 in their qualifying run.