DEPUTY Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he hopes national track cycling ace Mohd Azizulhasni Awang will bag Malaysia’s first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Zahid, who is also the cabinet’s Sports Development Committee chairman, congratulated the “Pocket Rocketman” for winning two gold medals in the Asian Track Cycling Championships (ACC) in Nilai, Negri Sembilan.

“On behalf of all Malaysians, I am very happy with his achievement and that of other sports athletes who always work hard to bring glory to Malaysia on the international stage,” he said in a Facebook post.

At the 2023 ACC, which ends today, the 35-year-old Azizulhasni proved his mettle when he won the sprint gold on June 14 and keirin gold yesterday, taking his ACC haul to 12 golds. 

Zahid also congratulated national cyclist Muhammad Fadhil Mohd Zonis, who ended his seven-year wait for Asian glory after winning the 1km individual time trial event today.

The 25-year-old clocked one minute and 00.559 seconds in the final to end Malaysia’s drought of more than a decade for the title, after Mohd Edrus Yunus’ success in the 2012 edition at the Kuala Lumpur Velodrome, Cheras. – Bernama, June 19, 2023.