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‘Pocket Rocketman’ Mohd Azizulhasni plans to retire after 2024 Paris Olympics
Malaysia's Mohd Azizulhasni Awang celebrates with his silver medal after the men's keirin final at the Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka August 8, 2021. — Reuters pic
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KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 ― National Sportsman Award (ASN) 2019/2020 winner Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang plans to end his glorious era as a track cyclist after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The silver and bronze medallist of the keirin event respectively in the last two editions of the Olympics intends to retire after competing in Paris, which will be his fifth appearance in the most prestigious multi-sports event.
“So this year's Commonwealth Games and Asian Games will be my last appearances in these two Games. Therefore, I want to give my full attention to ensure that I can perform well and once again create history for our country's sports,” he said.
The 34-year-old former world champion said this in a video clip of his speech after being named as the winner in the male category at the ASN 2019/2020 ceremony which took place here, yesterday.
Mohd Azizulhasni, dubbed 'The Pocket Rocketman', also apologised for not being able to attend the ceremony because his tight training schedule in Melbourne, Australia prevented him from doing so.
“For everyone's knowledge, I am currently actively undergoing training in preparation for the Commonwealth Games which has only 128 days left to go and the Asian Games which has 170 days left,” said Mohd Azizulhasni, who hails from Dungun, Terengganu.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games will take place in Birmingham, England this July while the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China is scheduled for September.
Meanwhile, Mohd Azizulhasni expressed his gratitude to all parties including the National Sports Council, National Sports Institute, Olympic Council of Malaysia, Malaysian National Cycling Federation and the Terengganu State Sports Council for being selected as the Sportsman of the Year for 2019/2020.
It is was the fourth time he won the award after also being named the winner in 2009, 2010 and 2017.
For the record, in August last year Mohd Azizulhasni had hinted that he might retire after the 2024 Paris Olympics. ― Bernama