In just 24 hours, Azizulhasni pedals his way to the second bronze in Japan

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Azizulhasni Awang, the national track cycling champion, won a bronze in the men’s keirin final at the Japan Track Cup II at Izu Velodrome in Shizuoka today, making him the second person to stand on the podium in just a day.

According to Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Azizulhasni, who also won bronze in the men’s sprint race yesterday, was forced to yield to the skill of two Japanese cyclists: Kaiya Ota won gold, and Kento Yamasaki took second.

The quick starts of Ota and Yamasaki in today’s race disrupted the plan of the 2017 world champion and Olympic silver medallist in the keirin event, ensuring Japan’s one-two triumph.

Ota, a 24-year-old Japanese star, defeated Azizulhasni in the men’s sprint event to win his second gold medal.

Shah Firdaus Sahrom, a different Malaysian rider, placed eighth in the seventh to twelfth classification at the same time and was not selected for the final.

Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri, a rising star in the women’s keirin event, finished seventh after dominating the seventh to twelfth classification race, missing out on qualifying for the final.

Japanese cyclists took home the top three spots: Fuko Umekawa took second place, Riyi Ohta took bronze, and Mina Sato won gold.

As Azizulhasni, Shah Firdaus, and Nurul Izzah prepare for the coveted 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where they will represent Malaysia in track cycling, this tournament in Japan acts as a training ground. – BERNAMA