Japan are our No. 1 rivals, Azizul warns Malaysia

TRACK cyclist Azizulhasni Awang sees Japan as the biggest threat to Malaysia’s hopes of winning gold at the Asian Games in Jakarta.

Azizul and the rest of the national track cycling team landed in Jakarta yesterday with the determination to contribute at least one gold medal for Malaysia.

Track cycling will take place at the Jakarta International Velodrome in Rawamangun from Aug 27-31.

Rio Olympic bronze medallist Azizul, fresh from three weeks of centralised training in Nilai, is optimistic of a good show but is cautious of Japan’s threat.

Japan is coached by Frenchman Benoit Vetu, who was responsible for Gong Jinjie-Zhong Tianshi wom- en’s team sprint gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

It was China’s first Olympic gold medal in cycling and Vetu left for Japan after that to join forces with former Australian top sprinter Jason Niblett.

Under the two foreign coaches, Japan have again become a strong force to be reckoned with.

Kazunari Watanabe stopped Azizul in the sprint final while Tomoyuki Kawabata claimed the keirin title at the Asian Cycling Championships in Nilai in February.

Kawabata went on to take silver in the keirin at the World Track Cycling Championships in Holland in February. It was the first time in more than 30 years that Japan won a medal at the world meet.

Kawabata was the silver medallist behind teammate Seiichiro Nakagawa in the sprint at the last Asiad in Incheon, South Korea, four years ago.

“They’re our No. 1 rivals this time. The Japanese team did not take part in the China Open last month as they were in training camp in Europe, so we do not know their current form,” said Azizul, who raced to a double gold at the China Track Cup I in Taiyuan last month.

“Japan are serious with their Asian Games as they see it as part of preparation for the next Olympics in Tokyo (2020).

“We’ve to watch out for China and South Korea also. Hopefully, I can get at least one gold - either in sprint or my favourite event keirin.”

It is the third Asian Games campaign for Azizul. He made a golden debut in Guangzhou eight years ago by leading teammate Josiah Ng to a 1-2 finish in the keirin.

Azizul ended empty handed in Incheon after he was disqualified for a technical infringement in the keirin.

At the last Asiad in Incheon, Fatehah Mustapa took silver in women’s keirin while Josiah got a bronze in the keirin.