Azizulhasni Awang’s hopes of adding keirin gold to his bronze from Rio, and silver from Tokyo, ended in round one of the Paris Olympics.
The Malaysian keirin specialist was drawn at the back of the line in the first heat, but he clearly wanted to place himself at the head of proceedings when the real racing began.
With half a lap still remaining until the pacer exited, he began overtaking riders on the way to the front. But he mistimed his approach, and was judged to have moved ahead of the derny’s front wheel before it left the track.
Awang made a late attempt to slow himself by swinging up the track, but the firing of the starter’s gun indicated that the race would be halted.
UCI regulation 3.2.140 clearly states: In the case where one or more riders pass the leading edge of the front wheel of the pacer before the pursuit line when he leaves the track, the race will be stopped and rerun without the rider(s) at fault, which will be disqualified.
The rule had been introduced specifically following the chaos in the men’s keirin at the Rio Olympics, where the final required two restarts as riders pressed too hard against the derny. Awang was one of the riders deemed at fault on that occasion too.
It’s reported that the Malaysian team submitted an official appeal for Awang to race in the repechages. But his fate was sealed when the start lists were posted, showing three heats of five riders, and one heat of four. Awang was not listed.
‘It is what it is,’ said national coach John Beasley, quoted in The Star. ‘He’s in shock. I would have expected the derny to go faster but it does not matter, the rules state that one should not go ahead of the derny.’
Known as the Pocket Rocketman, Awang is a major star in Malaysia, where he has been named Sportsman of the Year no fewer than 5 times.
He had been in a confident mood ahead of Paris, telling Malaysia’s Bernama: ‘Everyone knows I have speed and good tactical skills. We just hope that there’s nothing crazy like in Tokyo, where we got boxed in.
‘The plan is to stay safe from that kind of situation, and just try to win each race.’
Paris is expected to be the 36 year old’s last Olympics. He was pictured at the DerbyWheel induction session held in Melbourne, Australia in December 2023.