Tactical error costs Azizulhasni a spot in keirin semis

On Thursday, Malaysian track cycling star Azizulhasni Awang's chances of advancing to the semi-finals of the Shanghai World Championships were dashed by a tactical blunder. Outgoing national team technical director John Beasley acknowledged the rider's raw speed and power, but attributed the loss to a simple mistake that inevitably occurs in high-pressure situations.

Despite the setback, Beasley expressed disappointment, as Azizulhasni had hoped to celebrate another World Championships medal after already securing two World Cup titles, the overall World Cup crown, and gold medals at the Commonwealth and Asian Games this year.

Beasley emphasized that Azizulhasni's disappointment was understandable, but noted that the athlete would soon face another race, the men's individual sprint scheduled for Saturday. The technical director set a target of securing a top-eight finish in this event, which would bolster Azizulhasni's Olympic qualification campaign. Beasley remained optimistic about the rider's prospects, acknowledging his track record of podium finishes.

Meanwhile, women's individual sprint competitors Nur Alyssa Farid and Izzah Izzati Asri both bowed out in the first round of their respective events. Nur Alyssa, who finished 23rd in qualifying with a time of 10.788 seconds, lost to Britain's Rhianna Parris-Smith. Izzah, who qualified 17th with a time of 10.667 seconds, was eliminated by Australia's Molly McGill.

Both athletes will attempt to bounce back by competing in the women's keirin on Saturday, aiming to improve on their sprint performances and secure a better finish.