KUALA LUMPUR: Former keirin world champion Azizulhasni Awang capped his return to competitive cycling with a commendable bronze medal in the men's individual sprint at the Track Asia Cup in Suphanburi today (Aug 30).
Azizulhasni outclassed South Korea's Jung Hojin 2-0 in the third place playoff to finish on the podium after earlier losing 2-1 to Thailand's Jai Angsuthasawit in the semi-finals.
Taiwan's Kang Shi Feng won gold after downing Jai - the 2018 Asian Games keirin champion - 2-0 in the final.
It was Azizulhasni's first competition since the Paris Olympics. The bronze was also his first medal since turning professional in April.
Meanwhile, endurance rider Nyo Chi Hui did well to win silver in the women's points race behind Singapore's Elizabeth Liau. The latter's compatriot, Valencia Tan, completed the podium.
Nur Alyssa Farid missed out on bronze after losing 2-0 to Australia's Molly McGill in the women's individual sprint third place playoff.
South Korea's Cho Sun Young won the gold after beating Sophie Watts (Aus) 2-0 in the final.
National team coach Harnizam Basri said the competition provided his riders a platform to test their current form.
"We still have plenty of room to improve but I am not too worried about the results here. We ended our campaign positively," said Harnizam when contacted in Thailand.
"We know that some of the riders here (from other nations) are already in peak form. We are not quite the finished product yet, we will only begin speed work training next month.
"Azizulhasni did not win gold here but he did well considering he has only been training (seriously) for about two months.
"He still has some way to go before he is back to his best but we are not rushing things."
In total, Malaysian riders won one gold, two silver and three bronze in Thailand.
Earlier this week Fadhil Zonis, Ridwan Sahrom and Akmal Nazimi Jusena struck gold in the men's team sprint while Alysaa and Amber Yong Ann Tung secured silver and bronze respectively in the women's keirin.
Nur Aisyah Zubir had also produced a gritty ride to clinch bronze in the women's elite scratch race.
Ridwan Sahrom had initially finished second in the men's keirin but was relegated for riding in the blue band. He also reached the individual sprint quarter-final to post better finishes over Fadhil and Akmal.
Harnizam hinted that Ridwan is thus the favourite to race alongside his elder brother Shah at the Thailand Sea Games (Dec 9-20).
