Azizulhasni, Shah Firdaus Malaysia's last medal hopes as curtain comes down on Tokyo Olympics

TOKYO: Last day, last chance.

That's what it has come down to for the national contingent as the curtain comes down on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Sunday (Aug 8).

Malaysia's hopes of a first-ever Olympic gold medal now lie in the hands of the country's top two track cyclists - Datuk Azizulhasni Awang and Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom.

With only one bronze medal in the bag so far, courtesy of men's doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik on July 31, the two cyclists also have the chance to add to Malaysia's medal tally and, thus, achieve the three-medal target set for the national contingent.

Azizulhasni, 33, and Muhammad Shah Firdaus, 25, confirmed their spots in the quarter-finals of the keirin event after clearing their first-round hurdles in contrasting fashions at the Izu Velodrome, about 175 kilometres from here, today.

The semi-finals and final of the keirin event will be held later Sunday (Aug 8).

Azizulhasni, with his vast experience and an excellent record of having won the keirin bronze at the 2016 Rio edition, will surely be the one all Malaysians are counting on to deliver a medal, especially gold!

Don't rule out Muhammad Shah Firdaus' chances, either. Not after the way he produced a spirited and powerful performance in the repechage round after being involved in a nasty collision in Heat 2 of the first round today.

Earlier, in Heat Two of the first round, the 25-year-old Muhammad Shah Firdaus, who is making his Olympic debut, was trying to squeeze through a gap when he collided with Great Britain's Jack Carlin. Kazakhstan's Sergey Ponomaryov then crashed into the fallen Malaysian.

The race had to be restarted after all the heats had been completed but the injured Muhammad Shah Firdaus and Ponomaryov were forced to pull out.

But it did not stop Muhammad Shah Firdaus from producing an inspired performance in the first round repechage to finish second behind Kwesi Browne of Trinidad and Tobago and join teammate Azizulhasni Awang in the quarter-finals.

'The Pocket Rocketman' Azizulhasni, who is making his fourth straight Olympic appearance, had earlier sealed his spot in the quarter-finals in style when he won Heat Three of the first round.

In the quarter-finals on Sunday (Aug 8), Azizulhasni is in Heat Three with Matthew Glaetzer (Australia), Stefan Boetticher (Germany), Yuta Wakimoto (Japan), Denis Dmitriev (Russian Olympic Committee) and Kwesi.

Muhammad Shah Firdaus will battle it out with Carlin in Heat Two, together with Maximilian Levy (Germany), Callum Saunders (New Zealand), Jair Tjon En Fa (Suriname) and Nicholas Paul (Trinidad and Tobago).

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said he was informed by the national contingent's medical officer that Muhammad Shah Firdaus was in stable condition and did not suffer any broken ribs as reported earlier.

"I was there (Izu Velodrome), the impact of the crash was horrifying. But the determination shown by Muhammad Shah Firdaus to get back on the saddle for the repechages and qualify for the quarter-finals just goes to show how strong he is.

"Even when he was in the ambulance, he kept asking to be allowed to compete. But, to me, the safety and health of Shah Firdaus are paramount," he said in a video clip that the Youth and Sports Ministry shared with the media.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Shah Firdaus, who was taken to the Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital for further treatment, shared in his Instagram story that he is fine and vowed to give his best on Sunday.

Over at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama, national golfer Kelly Tan carded an impressive seven-under 64 on the final day for a two-under 282 total and joint 34th spot out of 60 golfers.

The 27-year-old golfer managed to climb up 14 spots from Friday's (Aug 6) action to be tied with Min Lee of Chinese Taipei, Celine Boutier of France and Slovakia's Pia Babnik.

Kelly had ended up in 51st place when she made her Olympic debut in Rio 2016.

-- BERNAMA