Azizul on right track towards Paris with another podium finish in last asian competition

PETALING JAYA: Paris Olympicsbound cyclist Azizulhasni Awang wrapped up his last competitive outing in Asia on a positive note by making the podium in his pet event at the Japan Track Cup Series.

The 36-year-old claimed bronze in the keirin final of the Japan Track Cup II at Izu Velodrome yesterday.

In the final, Azizul went for a long sprint run from the start but was pipped by two Paris Olympic Games-bound Japanese riders at the finish line.

Hangzhou Asian Games gold medallist Ota Kaiya claimed the gold ahead of Japanese teammate Kento Yamasaki.

It was still a worthy podium effort from Azizul, who was the only Malaysian cyclist to reach the final.

Azizul reached the final after placing third behind Taiwan’s Kang Shih-feng and Japan’s Shinji Nakano in the first semi-final heat.

Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom missed out on the final after placing fourth in the second semi-final heat behind Kaiya, Yamasaki and Yuta Obara.

Shah Firdaus went on to finish second in the consolation final behind Daniel Barber of Australia.

Azizul and Shah Firdaus had advanced to the semis by winning their respective first-round heats.

Technical director John Beasley is especially happy with the direction Azizul has been heading towards his final Olympic campaign in Paris in two months time.

Azizul had also claimed bronze in the sprint on Saturday.

“I’m really happy with the ‘training’ that Azizul has been getting from this competition,” said Beasley.

“10 hard races (in Japan Track Cup I on Friday), eight very hard races yesterday and three more intense races today.

“Azizul’s last four sprint races (on Saturday) were all under 10 seconds, so he will take a lot out of this competition. It is exactly what we wanted to get out of this meet.”

Another Paris Olympics-bound cyclist Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri failed in her bid to get into the women’s keirin final after she finished fifth in her semi-final heat.

Izzah bounced back to win the consolation final race to rank seventh overall.

“Izzah is struggling with the track shape so we will continue to invest time on her to grasp the technical side over the next few months.

“Shah is not having a great competition here. Not sure what is wrong though but we will work on correcting the things on the way to Paris.”

The cyclists will return to Malaysia to train in Nilai before they leave for a training camp in Europe early next month.