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Azizul gets scholarship from Yayasan Sime Darby

KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no financial worries for track cyclist Azizul Hasni Awang in his pursuit for excellence in studies and in sports.

Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) stepped in yesterday to provide support to the 22-year-old Dungun-born cyclist under their ‘Star’ scholarship programme.

The full scholarship allocates RM160,000 a year until Azizul graduates from the Deakin University in Melbourne where he is pursuing a degree in commerce, majoring in sports management.
Helping hand: Azizul Hasni showing the scholarship that he received from Yayasan Sime Darby to help him with his university degree
 
YSD council member Datuk Dr M. Jegathesan, who gave the scholarship to the two-time world championship silver medallist at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, said that the annual amount would cover tuition fees and training allowance for the cyclist.

“The Star scholarship is to reward high flyers. It is not impossible for an athlete to excel in studies and in sports if he has the right attitude and determination,” said the former star sprinter, who went on to graduate as a doctor.


Azizul, who won the National Sportsman Award on Tuesday, was grateful to YSD for helping to ease his financial burden in pursuing academic excellence and preparing for the 2012 London Olympics.
“I do not come from a rich family and it means a lot. I’m over the moon with this as I can rest easy and just focus on achieving excellence,” said Azizul, who is looking forward to putting more time on the track after having completed his first-year examinations recently.

“I should resume training in Melbourne by June and that’s where we will start to prepare for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

“I’ve finished my first year but I will probably have to postpone the next semester because of my commitments to these two Games.

“The Olympic qualification period will also start by then and we should be going for the competitions that offer ranking points.”

Azizul has a chance to create further history if he mounts the podium at the New Delhi Commonwealth Games (October) and the Guangzhou Asian Games (November).

Malaysia have never won a track cycling medal at the Commonwealth Games and it has been 40 years since a Malaysian cyclist won an Asiad gold medal.

Star

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