Azizulhasni Awang reveals dream after incredible recovery from open-heart surgery - 'I want to fight for gold'
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Updated 16/11/2022 at 14:50 GMT
It has been an astonishing journey for Azizulhasni Awang, from getting to the elite level of cycling to undergoing open-heart surgery. The latest remarkable moment in the Malaysian rider's decorated career came on Sunday when he competed at the Track Champions League in Mallorca - the first time he has competed in a top event since he had the surgery.
'I want to fight for gold' - Awang reveals dream after incredible recovery from open-heart surgery
Malaysian track cycling star Azizulhasni Awang has revealed the rollercoaster of emotions he has experienced after undergoing open-heart surgery and getting back in the velodrome with his Olympic dream still alive.
The 34-year-old, nicknamed The Pocket Rocketman, picked up a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the keirin before going one better with a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the same event.
Remarkably, Awang got back to competing for the first time in seven months since he underwent open-heart surgery as he mounted his bike at the Track Champions League on Sunday.
In an extended interview with Eurosport's Orla Chennaoui, he opened up about everything he has been through, before and after the surgery, and the ambitions that remain in his heart.
"I won a bronze medal in Rio and then a silver medal in Tokyo," Awang told Eurosport at the Track Champions League event in Mallorca.
"My dream is to win the first gold medal for my country, Malaysia. We have never had anyone win a gold medal so far at the Olympic level, so my job is to keep training harder and pushing harder.
"I have come to the TCL as part of my preparation for Paris, where hopefully I can win a gold medal for my country."
Awang recalled the moment he found out that he would require heart surgery and the pain he still has to deal with on the track, even to this day.
"There was something abnormal with my heart since I was born, and my doctor was surprised because I have been competing at the highest level, the elite level, for a long time with no issues," he explained.
"When I went for my scan, the surgeon asked me to do the surgery as soon as possible, so it was a big moment for me.
"I was so down at times, but I was so lucky because I had a good surgeon and a good team that helped me to go through that process.
"To be honest, to go through open-heart surgery, I had to go through very down moments, and the first few months I was down, but I am so lucky to have my wife and my team, who gave me great support.
"The pain is still there, but as long as on the inside everything is good, I want to keep doing what I love.
"I want to qualify for the next Olympics in Paris, and I want to fight for the gold for my country.
"I am here today and I am back to racing. I am very excited to be here."
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Speaking about the challenges of developing his career in Malaysia, Awang provided an insight into the lack of facilities that aspiring riders have to contend with.
"We come from a very small country and we do not have very good facilities," he said.
"We do not have an indoor track, we only have two tracks - one is concrete and very bumpy, and the other one has already been demolished.
"So it is not easy for us to develop the sport, but we have improved a lot, which has also encouraged a lot of other Malaysians to get into the sport.
"We have young riders coming up so I am happy, not just for me in chasing my goal, but for the legacy of cycling in Malaysia.
"It is a big difference because now cycling is a famous sport in Malaysia and it has become a new, trendy sport. Now everyone is cycling.
"I hope we can make cycling even bigger. I am happy to open the doors for the next generation and it is about helping others."
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After a great debut season, the UCI Track Champions League is back for season two, with Laura Kenny joining the party. You can watch it all live and on demand on discovery+. We also have extensive coverage across eurosport.com.
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