IPOH: Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) yesterday handed over the scholarship award letter to national cyclist, Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang for him to pursue his post-graduate studies at the university.

In a brief session held at the Sultan Azlan Shah Campus, Proton City in Tanjung Malim, UPSI vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff also presented a letter offering a lecturer post at UPSI's Sports Science and Coaching Faculty to Mohd Azizulhasni.

According to Md Amin, the offer was UPSI's way of expressing their appreciation of Mohd Azizulhasni's sterling achievements in winning the silver medal in the keirin event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games last August.

He said the Dungun-born athlete was offered to further his studies under the Bitara Postgraduate Scholarship's two-year master's degree programme worth RM42,225 or the three-year doctorate programme worth RM103,700.

"The excellence incentive offer will last from Sept 1, 2021 till Dec 31, 2024," he said in a statement here yesterday.

Md Amin said the offer would enable Azizulhasni to focus his attention on winning the country's first Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, Azizulhasni said he was thrilled with the sports facilities at UPSI Sport City, Sultan Azlan Shah Campus as it would benefit the development of sports not only for the university students but also local communities and sports enthusiasts across the country.

Immediately after the ceremony, Azizulhasni visited the Sports Science and Coaching Faculty at UPSI Sport City and held an online session entitled From Zero To Hero, jointly organised by the faculty and the Sports Science Association.

During the session he shared his determination to compete in a sport dominated by Europeans, who had a physical advantage and also his 4D (discipline, determination, dedication and direction) recipe of success, that he has held on to this day.

-- BERNAMA