National track cyclist Datuk Azizulhasni Awang while competing in the qualifying round of the sprint event at Izu Veledrome today. – Bernama photo
TOKYO (Aug 4): National track cycling aces Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang and Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom came good when mattered to race past their opponents in the 1/16 Finals repechages to move into the 1/8 Finals of the men’s sprint event at the Tokyo Olympics here, today.
Azizulhasni, who lost to Nicholas Paul from Trinidad and Tobago in Heat Four of the 1/16 Finals earlier, was simply too fast for Canada’s Nick Wammes in Heat Four of the 1/16 Finals repechage.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Shah Firdaus rode superbly to knock out Poland’s Patryck Rajkowski in the twice-run Heat Three of their 1/16 Finals repechage.
The race had to be restarted after Muhammad Shah Firdaus sent the Polish cyclist sprawling to the ground in a collision in earlier.
Muhammad Shah Firdaus had earlier lost to Great Britain’s Jack Carlin in Heat Three of the 1/16 Finals.
A daunting task awaits Azizulhasni in Heat One of the 1/8 Finals on Thursday (Aug 5) as the Rio 2016 bronze medallist is scheduled to face Dutchman Jeffrey Hoogland, who smashed the Olympic record of the sprint event when he clocked 9.215 seconds in the qualifying round earlier today.
Muhammad Shah Firdaus, meanwhile, will have a chance to avenge his defeat at the hands of Harrie Lavreysen, also of the Netherlands, in the men’s 1/32 Finals as both cyclists have been pitted together again in Heat Two of the 1/8 Finals on Thursday (Aug 5). – Bernama