NILAI – National track cycling ace Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang is ready to handle the compressed schedule at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in China from September 23 to October 8.
The cyclist, dubbed the Pocket Rocketman, said he is wiser now following his experience in the 2023 World Track Cycling Championships in Glasgow, Scotland recently, adding that he expects to face a similar situation in the Asiad at the Chun’an Jieshou Sports Centre Velodrome.
“I see that in the Asian Games, the schedule is quite tight, with only 15-minute intervals between races. Basically, they compressed everything into a short time. I am not sure but (I think) all (riders will) face the same situation.
“During the recent World Championships, I did not expect the compressed schedule.
“At that time, I was racing and going for long sprints in the earlier rounds. Then, when it was time for the next race, I did not have sufficient rest time. At least I learnt a lot from there,” he said.
He told reporters this after a visit by national chef de mission to the 2022 Hangzhou Asiad Datuk Chong Kim Fatt at the National Velodrome here today.
At the 2023 World Track Cycling Championships, Azizulhasni failed to deliver any medals when he fell in the semi-finals of his pet event, keirin.
There was no luck either in the sprint event when he was relegated in the second round following an infringement in trying to overtake his Australian rival, Thomas Cornish.
But that will not stop Azizulhasni, who won the men’s keirin silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games, from coming up with new tactics that will hopefully help him shine in his final Asiad outing.
“I don’t know why (the schedule is) so tight. I am assuming it might be because China has a rider for each race and they want to ensure all their riders stay fresh while we are entered for many events.
“If we go by the Olympic Games (schedule), it’s completely different…in one day there would only be two races and more time to recover.
“We must be smart in deciding when to sprint and when to conserve energy. It’s more tactical in the earlier rounds and when we make the semi-finals or final, I think it’s a different story,” he said.
Meanwhile, the reigning Asian Games sprint champion hopes the national cycling team can bring home two gold medals from Hangzhou compared to just one targeted by his coach, John Beasley.
Azizulhasni, who hails from Dungun, also said that his doctor has confirmed his fitness to compete in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games after he underwent a health test last week. – September 8, 2023