Youth and Sports Minister to Meet National Track Cycling Ace on Future and Career Direction
HULU SELANGOR, Feb 17 (Bernama) – Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh is scheduled to meet national track cycling ace Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang today to discuss his future and career direction.
Hannah said the ‘Pocket Rocketman’, as the cyclist is nicknamed, had met the National Sports Council (NSC) and she too had held a brief discussion with the rider during the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, at that time, she said the 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medallist felt that he needed some space and time to reflect, think and sort things out.
"I am not sure what is going to be discussed today, but I come here with an open heart because he is an athlete who has contributed so much to the country. I want to see how we can continue to help him," she said when met after officiating the opening and closing of the NSC-Yayasan MySkills Sports Clinic at the MySkills Campus in Kalumpang here today.
Last December, the 37-year-old was reported to have said that he would meet Hannah before deciding on his future.
No Decision on 2025 Asian Track Cycling Championships
Earlier, Mohd Azizulhasni confirmed that he will not be competing in the 2025 Asian Track Cycling Championships (ACC 2025) to be held at the National Velodrome in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan from February 21-27. However, he did not rule out the possibility of returning to action.
Support for At-Risk Youths
Meanwhile, Hannah said that 120 at-risk youths are given skills training at MySkills Campus here but they lack exposure to sports activities. "That’s why the NSC came here today together with National Hockey Development Programme (NHDP) coaches and athletics coaches to unearth talent and this will be carried out periodically. Secondly, I have allocated RM50,000 from the minister’s special allocation to be used for sports development at MySkills Foundation," she said.
She added that she had also asked for assistance from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), the Satellite Centre of the National Sports Institute (NSI), to assist youths here in terms of strength and conditioning.
Conclusion
The meeting between Hannah and Mohd Azizulhasni is expected to shed light on his future plans and career direction. As a world-class athlete, his contributions to the country’s sports scene cannot be overstated, and it is essential that his future plans align with the country’s sports development goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the purpose of the meeting between Hannah and Mohd Azizulhasni?
A: The meeting is to discuss Mohd Azizulhasni’s future and career direction.
Q: Why is Mohd Azizulhasni not competing in the 2025 Asian Track Cycling Championships?
A: He has not ruled out the possibility of returning to action, but has decided not to compete in the 2025 Asian Track Cycling Championships.
Q: What is the purpose of the NSC-Yayasan MySkills Sports Clinic?
A: The clinic aims to unearth talent among at-risk youths and provide them with sports training and development opportunities.
Q: What is the allocation for sports development at MySkills Foundation?
A: RM50,000 has been allocated from the minister’s special allocation for sports development at MySkills Foundation.