KUALA LUMPUR: National cycling ace Azizulhasni Awang (the “Pocket Rocketman”) won the men’s keirin title at the UCI Nations Cup championships in Adelaide, Australia today.
In the race at the Adelaide Super-Drome, Azizulhasni fended off a strong challenge from Shinji Nakano and Kaiya Ota of Japan to clinch his first gold medal this year.
The win boosts Azizulhasni’s standing in the race to the Paris Olympics 2024 as the UCI Cup offers Olympic qualification points.
The 36-year-old cyclist had finished third in the semi-finals to qualify for the final round. However, his teammate, Fadhil Zonis, failed to complete the race in the repechage round after finishing second in heat two of the keirin event.