KUALA LUMPUR: National track cycling ace Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang has admitted that he never expected to win gold at the Union Cycliste International (UCI) Track Nations Cup in Adelaide on Friday (Feb 2) just two weeks after suffering from pericarditis (heart inflammation).

The 36-year-old posted on Facebook that he also suffered pain during the race due to his ailment but continued to persevere until it led him to the gold medal in the men’s keirin event at the Nations Cup, which is a platform to collect qualifying points for the 2024 Paris Olympics in July.

“The keirin gold is something that I’m still trying to absorb into the frontal lobe of my brain. I came to the Track Nations Cup (formerly known as the World Cup) not in the best of shape. There were other hurdles I had to overcome before flying to Adelaide.

“The keirin race I won the other day was UNBELIEVABLE! If you ask me now, I still don’t know and can’t believe how it all happened. It feels like it’s all thanks to my mother’s prayers and the blessings of my wife and children and other family members back home. Oh, yes, it could be the blessings of our new baby girl, Amna Aseeya,” he posted.

In the Track Nations Cup, Mohd Azizulhasni produced a powerful performance to brush aside the challenges of Japan’s Shinji Nakano and Kaiya Ota to clinch his first gold of the year, thus boosting the Pocket Rocketman’s standings in the race to Paris 2024. 

Mohd Azizulhasni said he knew he was suffering from pericarditis when he had breathing difficulties and chest pains when competing in warm-up tournaments in Australia before rushing back to Melbourne to see a doctor.

He said the doctor confirmed that he was suffering from pericarditis and advised him to rest for at least four to six weeks but he was bent on competing in the Track Nations Cup to bring glory to the country and collect Olympic qualifying points.

“Pericarditis is a swelling and irritation of the thin, saclike tissue surrounding the heart (pericardium). So, I asked the doctor what caused it. Ironically, after my heart surgery last time, the recovery process went well and I did not have any major or serious issues.

“The doctor said it could be a post-surgery effect. Maybe there are injuries in the chest area or effects of cancer on other organs that may affect the heart or it could be due to a bacteria or virus infection. Anyway, I must still undergo further tests,” he said.

Mohd Azizulhasni said he was down with a virus infection when he was back home in Malaysia early last December.

Yesterday, he was forced to withdraw from his individual sprint bronze medal match against 2018 world champion Matthew Glaetzer of Australia at the UCI Track Nations Cup in Adelaide after suffering symptoms of pericarditis.

-- BERNAMA