The “Pocket Rocketman” said not many were truly with the track cycling team after the results of the keirin event, but Yeoh was among the few who “stood strong with us”.

Azizulhasni recounted that Yeoh had waited for the cycling team as they packed their bags for their flight back to Malaysia the next day, just so she could give them some moral support.

“The flight from Paris to Malaysia was very long, but it gave me time to discuss various matters with ‘Hanayo’,” he said in an Instagram post, referring to Yeoh by a nickname.

“At the time, Hanayo gave a lot of advice and suggestions on what I could consider for the future. During that deep talk, the advice she gave was much like that of an elder sister who cares deeply for her younger brother,” he said.

The two-time Olympic medallist said Yeoh had also urged him to spend time with his family after the Olympics, while taking time to think about his future.

“She understood the sacrifices that we as a family have made. Maybe it’s because Hanayo herself is a good mother, making it easy for her to understand what we were going through,” said the cycling champion.

He added that the minister reiterated that she will always support his decision on his next step, and that he has “done enough for the country”.

“I want to thank Hanayo for all her support for me as an athlete, as well as a person.”

Yesterday, Azizulhasni announced that he will continue his professional sporting career independently following discussions with Yeoh and the National Sports Council.

He asked the council and National Sports Institute to focus their allocations on other athletes, but still expressed readiness to compete with the national squad if needed.

Yeoh had also announced a RM200,000 grant for Azizulhasni to help transition towards becoming an independent athlete.