FIGHTING the sport’s heavyweights must have looked like the easy part for Malaysia’s Pocket Rocketman.
Azizulhasni Awang has certainly made a career of pushing the boundaries in his pursuit of cycling excellence for the last 15 years.
He once finished a race in Manchester with an eight-inch splinter impaled through his leg in a bid for a podium spot at the Track World Cup.
The two Olympic medals he won in his pet keirin event (bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and silver in Tokyo in 2021) are testament to his sheer mental strength and determination to succeed despite being at a physical disadvantage competing against physically bigger and taller opponents.
Standing at 1.66m, Azizul is one of the shortest track cyclists on the world stage, but he has never let this stop him from achieving greatness in his sport.
Azizul achieved an extraordinary feat at the Asian Track Cycling Championships held at the National Velodrome in Nilai in June when he secured the individual sprint and keirin double.
His collection of Asian championship gold medals stands at 12, unmatched by anyone else on the continent.
And this was achieved after coming out of open heart surgery. There was the big scare he gave the nation in April of last year when he had to go through open heart surgery to correct a natural birth anomaly and then slowly pick up the pieces through rehabilitation to recover his fitness and strength.
Azizul, now 35, may be in the last legs of his illustrious career, but he is determined to keep going to secure the elusive Olympic gold medal Malaysia is still waiting for.Malaysia has been participating in the Olympics since the 1956 Games in Melbourne but has yet to win a medal in any sport.
Like Dungun-born Azizul, up-and-coming motor racing talent Hakim Danish also comes from Terengganu and is a big fan of the cyclist.
Hakim has been making waves in motorcycle racing since first making himself noticed by winning the first SIC MiniGP championship title in 2020.
The talented boy, who has won podium finishes in Europe and Asia despite his inexperience, is just 16 and probably the best prospect Malaysia has of making it to the MotoGP world championship in the future.
And for Hakim, the way to go is to emulate the working ethics and resilient character of Azizul.
“I’ve never had the chance to meet Azizul as he is usually training overseas, but I’ve followed him on social media and also in newspapers.
“He is the most famous sportsman Terengganu has produced, and I am proud as we come from the same state.
“Terengganu has produced many good sports athletes, and I think the inspiration for sporting success is also because of Azizul and what he fought for.
“He is a very disciplined athlete, and mentally he is so strong. He respects the opposition but does not fear them, and this is what I try to emulate as a motorsport racer.
“I also have another idol and mentor in former world championship rider Zulfahmi Khairuddin, so we stick to a regimented training programme, try to have plenty of rest, and also not forget my studies, although I am training overseas.
“I hope I can be the best and achieve big things in motorsport just like what Azizul has done for cycling,” said Hakim, who is currently competing in the European Talent Cup and Red Bull Rookies Cup in Europe.
National table tennis player Alice Chang Li Sian bagged silver in the team event at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last year and is also a fan of Azizul and what he stands for in Malaysian sports.
The 21-year-old lauded Azizul’s attitude, commitment, perseverance, and determination to succeed at the highest level.
“These characteristics have always been an inspiration for me in my sports career.
“For me, Azizul is a great and mighty athlete. He has won many medals for Malaysia in the Olympics and World Championships, so he has always served as a role model for us to learn from.
“Azizul went through surgery in April last year, but he was able to win two gold medals in the Asian Track Cycling Championships in June.
“It is clear how much hard work and hardship he has put in to stand on the highest podium again.
“I had the experience of going through the recovery road, so I know that we must not give up after sustaining the injury and that we need to actively undergo rehabilitation in order to return to our pre-injury state.
“The effort behind him must be many, many times greater than ordinary people’s, so his spirit is worthy of the admiration of all our countrymen, and it is also what we as athletes must emulate and learn from him,” said Chang, who comes from Sarawak.
Promising squash talent C. Ameeshenraj became an immediate fan of Azizul after watching him race once in the United Kingdom.
“It was a proud moment when he was introduced as a Malaysian. I train in the UK, and as a sportsman trying to break into the top level, your mentality certainly matters, as does how strong you are to cope with the challenges and struggles that will come.
“For someone who has come back from heart surgery and is still performing, Azizul is certainly a rare talent for Malaysia.
“It’s nothing short of remarkable what he has done, as that fear of something happening after surgery is always there, but he can overcome all this and is competing again.
“He has that burning passion to want to win and doesn’t let the issues weigh him down. It inspires me in my squash career, and I think if you put your mind to it, you shouldn’t let anything stop you.
“Another thing is that he does not feel inferior as a cyclist competing against bigger-sized opposition. He has broken that barrier and done so well in track cycling.
“As an Asian, I am based in the UK myself, and everyone is twice as big as me, so the fact that Azizul doesn’t let that weigh him down is also a big inspiration to me,” said the 19-year-old Ameesheenraj, who currently trains in Bristol together with national No. 1 Ng Eain Yow under coach Hadrian Stiff since last year.
