Malaysian cyclist Azizulhasni Awang secured his third career Asian Games gold medal on Saturday at the Izu Shizuoka Velodrome in Japan, delivering a commanding performance in the men’s keirin final. The 38-year-old veteran dedicated his victory to his coach, John Beasley, who is set to depart from his role as Malaysian team technical director at the end of this month.

Azizul, who first captured Asian Games gold in the men’s keirin at the 2010 Guangzhou edition and later in the individual sprint at the 2018 Palembang-Jakarta Games, executed a tactically masterful race. He timed his sprint perfectly, accelerating from behind in the final bend to overtake his rivals and claim the top podium spot. China’s Li Shiwei took silver, with teammate Xie Han earning bronze. Fellow Malaysian Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom finished fifth.

The race marked Azizul’s farewell to the Asian Games, having previously missed the 2022 Hangzhou edition due to injuries sustained during training. Reflecting on the final, he described it as a demanding contest that required patience and careful timing. “This was a perfect ending for my Asian Games career,” he said.

Azizul expressed deep gratitude toward John Beasley, crediting the Australian for his development and success over the years. “I told John the day before the race that I would grab that gold medal for him. He just told me not to worry and to avoid pressure,” Azizul said. He acknowledged Beasley’s significant contribution to Malaysian cycling and described the gold medal as a farewell gift for the coach who has “treated Malaysia like his own place.”

The cyclist also detailed his journey back to top form following a year-long break after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Since his return, Azizul has progressively rebuilt his performance, capturing gold at UCI Track World Cup events in Perth and Nilai earlier this year, and at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He noted the challenges of preparing for a tight schedule of major events including the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and the upcoming World Championships, particularly as he competes against younger athletes.

In other Malaysian cycling results at the games, Nur Alyssa Mohd Farid, the youngest member of the team, narrowly missed a podium finish in the women’s individual sprint, placing fourth after losing the bronze medal match to China’s Jiang Yulu. Nur Alyssa had been defeated by eventual gold medalist Yuan Liying in the semi-finals. Teammate Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri finished seventh overall, after a quarter-final exit and a third-place finish in the classification race for fifth to eighth positions.