KUALA LUMPUR — Sixteen years after first conquering the Asian Games keirin, Datuk Azizulhasni Awang turned back the clock to reclaim the gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games today.
The 38-year-old track cycling great produced a masterclass in patience and timing at the Izu Velodrome in Shizuoka, keeping his composure before making his decisive move to edge China’s Li Zhiwei and secure another Asian Games title.
China’s Xie Han took the bronze, while Malaysia’s Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom finished fifth in the final.
Azizulhasni’s victory was Malaysia’s eighth gold medal at the Games and his third Asian Games gold overall, following his men’s keirin triumph at Guangzhou 2010 and individual sprint gold at Jakarta-Palembang 2018.
Speaking at a press conference after the race, Azizulhasni said the victory was particularly meaningful as he continues to compete against a younger generation of riders.
“At my age, every medal means a lot to me. I’m racing against riders who are much younger and physically very strong, so I’m proud that I can still compete with them at this level,” he said.
The Dungun-born rider said his experience was crucial in the final as he resisted the temptation to attack too early and waited for the right moment to make his move.
“The final was very tactical. I had to be patient and wait for the right moment. When I saw the opportunity, I committed fully and gave everything I had until the finish line,” he said.
Azizulhasni booked his place in the final by winning his semi-final heat ahead of Japan’s Minato Nakaishi and Hong Kong’s Yung Tsun Ho.
Shah Firdaus also advanced to the medal race after finishing third in his semi-final behind Chinese pair Xie and Li, with Li winning the heat.
The victory capped another impressive season for Azizulhasni, who continues to compete at the highest level despite being one of the oldest riders in the field.
He arrived in Japan after winning keirin gold at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in August, while also collecting two keirin gold medals in the UCI World Cup series earlier this year.
Azizulhasni had already shown his competitiveness at these Games by winning bronze in the men’s individual sprint, but the keirin gold provided the veteran with another major achievement.
“It is very special because I won the keirin in Guangzhou 16 years ago. To come back after all these years and win it again is something I’m very proud of,” he said.
The veteran rider had originally planned to end his competitive career after the Paris 2024 Olympics but continued competing at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and now the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
His latest triumph adds another chapter to an extraordinary international career that includes an Olympic silver medal at Tokyo 2020 and bronze at Rio 2016. — October 2, 2026