KUALA LUMPUR: Azizulhasni Awang maintained his impressive podium streak this year by claiming a bronze medal in the men's keirin event at the Australian national cycling championships in Brisbane today.
The Malaysian, who is slowly recovering after a recent health scare, used his experience to reach the final before snatching a podium spot at Anna Meares Velodrome.
The 36-year-old Azizulhasni shared the podium with the current top two Australian sprinters, Matthew Richardson and Matthew Glaetzer.
Azizulhasni, a two-time Olympic medallist, reached the top-six final after coming in third in his second round heat.
It was his first race for the former keirin world champion after withdrawing from the individual sprint in the first leg of the Nations Cup in Adelaide last month.
Azizulhasni made a perfect start to the year by winning the sprint event in the Adelaide Track League in January and went on to take a stunning win in keirin at the opening leg of the UCI Track Nations Cup in Adelaide last month.
However, he had to pull out after qualifying for the bronze ride in the sprint event the next day on medical advice due to effects from pericarditis (heart inflammation).
Azizulhasni will join Shah Firdaus Sahrom to compete for Olympic qualifying points in the second leg of the Track Nations Cup in Hong Kong from March 15-17.