Azizulhasni keeps Olympic focus after Shanghai sprint defeat
The Malaysian cyclist’s next major competition is the Asian Championships in Nilai, where Olympic qualifying ranking points will be available.
Malaysia’s Azizulhasni Awang says his defeat by a younger rival at the Shanghai World Championships has not caused him major concern as he aims for a sixth and final Olympic appearance at Los Angeles 2028.
Britain’s Harry Ledingham-Horn, 22, beat him in round two of the men’s individual sprint. Azizulhasni acknowledged the potential of emerging riders but put the result in the context of a demanding season with closely scheduled competitions.
The keirin specialist holds ninth place in the UCI elite sprint rankings, which count results from keirin and individual sprint racing. He said that system requires riders to perform well in both disciplines. He hopes a lighter schedule next season will allow him to concentrate on particular events and better assess his form.
His season included two golds and two bronzes in keirin at UCI World Cup events, plus keirin gold at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, he took gold in keirin and bronze in the individual sprint.
Azizulhasni will next turn his attention to the Asian Championships in Nilai, scheduled for Jan 31-Feb 6. The event will provide ranking points towards Olympic qualification.
