A SLIGHT miscalculation cost former world champion Azizuhasni Awang the gold while highly-promising Anis Amira Rosidi clinched a well-deserved silver in the men and women’s keirin events on the final day of the South East Asian Track Cup Grand Prix (SEA GP) in Nilai yesterday.
A bulked-up Azizulhasni, fresh from completing strength training, looked set for gold in the men’s final as he hit the front with just under two laps to go at the National Velodrome.
The Olympic bronze medallist, however, took his foot off the pedal prematurely on the final straight to let Taiwan’s Kang Shih Feng pip him to the finish line.
South Korean Park Jeone completed the podium while Fadhil Zonis (Sime Darby Track Team) and Mohamad Shariz Efendi Mohd Shahrin were fourth and fifth.
Azizulhasni, who won the individual sprint gold on Thursday, admitted it was not an ideal result.
However, he isn’t too bothered about it.
The Terengganu-born is registered under his own Team Azizul, who are backed by CIMB, for the SEA GP.
“This race was part of my training programme and the plan was to go full throttle at roughly one and a half laps to the finish,” said Azizulhasni.
“When I hit the front I thought that there was no one (close) behind me, so I was just cruising to the finish to conserve energy. When I noticed there was someone coming up, I thought it was Shariz because he was behind me earlier.
“But when I took a peek, it was the Taiwanese and it was too late for me to react.
“It’s not a big deal, the goal here was to get maximum points from the sprint yesterday (Thursday) for Olympic qualification and I did that.
“I’m quite comfortable (ranking points) in the keirin and am just using this race as part of my preparations as we are just starting our speed training.”
Anis, of Sime Darby Track Team, finished a close second to Indonesia’s Crismonita Dwi Putri in the women’s final. Hong Kong’s Yeung Cho Yiu was third while Farina Shawati Mohd Adnan (Sime Darby Track Team) was fifth.
Anis, who is seen as a huge talent for the future, was pleased to achieve her personal goal.
“I really pushed hard today (yesterday) as the goal was to finish on the podium and earn points to help me qualify for the upcoming UCI World Cup series,” said Anis.
“I am really pleased that all the hard work I put in paid off. I will keep working hard to improve myself.”
Fatehah Mustapa, who won the sprint silver on Thursday, did not make the final and finished eighth overall.
The Malaysian riders will take a day off today before getting back on the saddle again for the two-day National Championships, which begin tomorrow.