Azizulhasni aims to seal legacy at LA 2028

KUALA LUMPUR: Track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang will be on a mission to "seal his legacy" should he qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Paris 2024, which was meant to be his swansong, ended in disappointment as he was disqualified in the first round of the keirin for overtaking the derny.

It was a mistake made in the heat of the moment which left him in tears.

Azizulhasni, who took a break from the sport after Paris 2024, only recently confirmed that he will be riding on until LA2028.

The 38-year-old clearly has unfinished business.

"I decided to come back from the sport because in Paris, I was not able to race properly. I was not able to express my performances," said Azizulhasni when met at the National Sports Incentive Scheme (Shakam) presentation ceremony on Tuesday.

"When I retired after Paris, every day I woke up feeling unsatisfied.

"It was as if I did not finish something, that is why I decided to make a comeback.

"But for the next Olympics, I just want to focus on taking it one step at a time. I just want to qualify first.

"But if you ask me now, the Olympics will be about sealing my legacy. It will, hopefully, be my sixth edition."

Despite his advancing years, Azizulhasni has been in the form of his life this year.

He won two keirin gold and two individual sprint bronze medals in the UCI World Cup Series.

He won keirin gold at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games - a title which has long eluded him - and also won the keirin gold as well as the individual sprint bronze at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

He received RM180,000 in incentives via Shakam on Tuesday.

"I am very grateful for the incentives but when I am competing I do not think about that. As an athlete it is a form of external motivation," said Azizulhasni.

"I always remind the younger athletes to not focus on the incentives, but instead, focus on our own performances and to do it for the country."

Azizulhasni's important assignment will be the Asian Championships in Nilai on Jan 31-Feb 6. The competition will offer important ranking points for Olympic qualifying.