KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s track cycling star Datuk Azizulhasni Awang has confirmed his return to competitive racing – but not under the national banner.
In a surprise move, the Olympic medallist announced that he will be competing professionally, citing a desire to avoid drawing on funds allocated for younger athletes in the national programme.
Instead, the Pocket Rocketman will focus on preparing for the 2026 Asian Games, supported by an individual grant of RM200,000 from the National Sports Council (NSC) to fund his campaign.
The grant will cover training allowances, sports management, and coordination with both local and international coaches, and comes with no binding conditions.
“Despite the rumours and speculations surrounding me, I have decided to return to competitive cycling, but my journey will be slightly different – I will no longer be part of the national team,” he said during a press conference, which was also attended by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh at the NSC headquarters here today.
“I have chosen to go independent and professional. When I sat down with NSC and the National Sports Institute (NSI), I asked them to focus their full funding support on other athletes for the continuity of our sport.
“The RM200,000 grant will help me build my base, qualify for the World Championships, and, in fact, do better in the upcoming Asian Games,” he added.
Nevertheless, Azizulhasni said he remains ready to represent the national team if required, particularly for next year’s Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
“Although I’m currently fully focused on my own professional team (Team Azizul), I’m always ready to compete for the national team whenever needed,” he said.
“Whether I will be competing in the keirin or sprint event will depend on what Coach John Beasley advises and whether I get through the selection process. But there’s nothing to worry about – I’m always available when needed.”
Azizulhasni also expressed his gratitude for the support he has received from the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) throughout his career, which began with his national team debut at the 2007 SEA Games in Korat.
“I’m forever grateful for all the support KBS has provided over the years since my debut. They even helped me with a costly operation back in 2022 at the National Heart Institute (IJN), and my gratitude goes beyond words,” he said.
“I will be competing as a professional for the next two years. Once I decide to retire, I will ensure that I give back my knowledge to the national team by becoming a coach,” he added.
Meanwhile, Hannah described Azizulhasni as an athlete of a “different breed”, highlighting his mentality, attitude and discipline as key traits that enabled him to go professional.
“He’s a different breed and a role model for other athletes. His mentality, discipline, and attitude have been evident since he made his national team debut,” she said.
“If other athletes want to turn professional, I might think twice, but not in Azizulhasni’s case – we have full respect for his achievements and contributions to the country over the years.”
“For now, he will be competing for the next two years and has no plans of competing in the Los Angeles Olympics. When the time comes, we may consider including him in one of our (Road to Gold) committees so that his expertise can be used to improve the national sports scene,” she added.
For the record, Azizulhasni was disqualified in the first-round heat at the Paris Olympics for moving ahead of the derny, dashing his hopes of winning a third consecutive Olympic medal.
He had previously claimed bronze in Rio de Janeiro (2016) and silver in Tokyo (2021).
Following the disqualification, he announced a temporary break from competition to focus on his studies. – April 19, 2025