Azizulhasni says Polish rider forced him wide twice in costly Shanghai keirin quarter-final exit

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 — Malaysian track cycling champion Datuk Azizulhasni Awang blamed two instances where a Polish rider pushed him wide for his quarter-final exit at the 2026 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai, China. The first incident happened as he accelerated out of the first turn, but he managed to continue riding.

However, the same rider then pushed him wide again at the third turn, significantly impacting his momentum and speed, leading to a last-place finish in the quarter-final. Azizulhasni, writing on his Facebook page, stated that if those two incidents had not occurred, he would have likely qualified for the next round. He acknowledged that such incidents are common in keirin racing, where six cyclists compete simultaneously.

Azizulhasni also expressed responsibility for his performance but downplayed it, emphasizing that it was part of the challenge. In the individual sprint, he surpassed his personal target of finishing within the top 10 in qualifying, placing him eighth out of 33 riders. He defeated Colombia's David Ortego in the opening round but lost to Britain's Harry Ledingham-Horn in the second round.

Azizulhasni attributed his poor performance and preparation to the demanding season, but noted that his overall goal was to accumulate as many qualifying points as possible for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He expressed hope that Malaysians would continue to support him and follow the team's journey in the coming seasons as they aim for Olympic qualification.