KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 – Malaysia’s elusive Olympics gold remains a distant dream when the country’s top cyclist Datuk Azizulhasni Awang could only deliver a silver medal in the men’s keirin final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Sunday.
The 33-year-old Dungun-born Azizulhasni, a former world champion, had gone to Tokyo with confidence and had vowed to bring back a gold medal from Tokyo. However, it was not to be for Azizulhasni and company.
Was it over-confidence? Was it wrong strategy when it mattered most? It is left to be digested by Malaysians as the country’s hunt for gold goes on. It is another three year wait – this time the the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Defending champion Jason Kenny of Great Britain wrote another chapter in the Olympics and his illustrious career in cycling is expected to continue in Paris. Kenny, caught everyone by surprise with an explosive burst of speed which stunned his rivals.
The 33-year-old left his rivals trailing for his seventh Olympic gold, and it was left to Azizulhasni and Dutchman Harrie Layreysen to battle for the silver and the bronze. Azizulhasni pipped Lavreysen who had won the sprint gold for the silver.
For Azizulhasni, the silver is an improvement from his bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016. He was sixth at the London Olympics (2012) after he made his debut at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Earlier, Shah Firdaus Sahrom, who took a nasty crash during the repecharge race on Saturday, failed to get into the semi-finals.
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