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Azizul, Rizal sit out Asian meet to give young blood a chance


By LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: World Championships medal winners Azizul Hasni Awang and Rizal Tisin will sit out the Asian Championships in Palembang in August and let the back-up cyclists carry the Malaysian challenge.

Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) deputy president Datuk Naim Mohamad said this was to give the second stringers more international exposure.

“We’ve also learnt that our main rivals, Japan and China, will be fielding their back-up riders as well,” said Naim, who is also MNCF development committee chairman.

Making way: Rizal Tisin (left) and Azizul Hasni Awang will let the back-up cyclists seize the day at the Asian Championships.

“The elite cyclists, like Azizul and Rizal, have proved their abilities at the World Cup and World Championships this year. So it’s time we give the other cyclists a chance to show their stuff.”

One reason why Japan and China may want to blood their second stringers in the Asian meet is to prepare them for the next Olympic cycle.

The qualifying process for the 2012 London Olympics begins next year.

But Naim stressed that the back-up cyclists would not be going there just for the sake of exposure.

“We hope they will make the best of the opportunities. Hopefully, our riders will keep the gold medals coming. We have Hafiz Sufian, who has been doing well in the local track races after making a comeback to the national squad. He is capable of fighting for the gold medal if he is in good form,” said Naim.

The men’s keirin title in the Asian meet has been in Malaysian hands for the last three editions.

Rizal ended a 19-year-old drought for Malaysia by winning the keirin gold in the 2006 edition in Kuala Lumpur. The following year saw Azizul repeating the feat for his first success in the senior ranks. Last year, Azizul not only defended his title but completed a double by winning the sprint as well. Rizal’s triumph in the 1km time trial made it Malaysia’s best-ever achievement in the Asian meet.

While Azizul, Rizal and Josiah Ng will not be competing in Palembang, other elite cyclists like Junaidi Nasir, Mohd Edrus Yunus and Fatehah Mustapa will be there to guide the juniors.

The Asian Championships will see competition in both the senior and junior ranks.

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