Awang's Golden Redemption
Pocket Rocketman Azizulhasni Awang Clinches Commonwealth Keirin Gold, Ending Malaysia's 16-Year Wait
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Key Points
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Awang started the keirin from the 4th line, baited the pace setters, moved into second behind Leigh Hoffman as the pace machine dropped away, and then unleashed a decisive last-lap charge to clinch gold.
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The 38-year-old is a 2017 keirin world champion, underscoring his tactical acumen and experience against younger rivals.
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The 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games saw Awang's victory disqualified, with teammate Josiah Ng promoted to first place, a historical demotion that adds to the context of his career’s long wait for gold.
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Malaysia’s anthem was played for just the second time in Commonwealth Games cycling history during the medal ceremony, highlighting the significance of the moment for the nation.
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Malaysia’s Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil publicly congratulated Awang, praising him as a symbol of resilience and national pride in a post celebrating the win.
Azizulhasni Awang, Malaysia's 38-year-old track cycling legend known as the Pocket Rocketman, won the men's keirin gold at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Saturday. The victory gave Malaysia its seventh gold of the Games and ended a 16-year wait for Commonwealth cycling gold, according to Media Selangor.
Awang crossed the finish line ahead of Leigh Hoffman of Australia and Harry Ledingham-Horn, then celebrated with his trademark post-race wheelie. Tears followed at the medal ceremony, where Malaysia's anthem played for just the second time in Commonwealth Games cycling history, SCMP reported.
Patient Tactics and a Decisive Last-Lap Charge
Awang started from the fourth line in the keirin final. In keirin racing, riders follow a motorized pace machine before it pulls away and the sprint begins. Awang bided his time, letting others push the pace. He moved into second place behind Hoffman just as the pace machine dropped off the track, according to The Asian Affairs.
Then he unleashed a final-lap charge no one could answer. The move was classic Awang — patient, calculated, and lethal. He is a 2017 keirin world champion, and Saturday's ride showed exactly why he still ranks among the world's best despite competing against younger rivals.
A 2010 Disqualification That Haunted a Career
The 16-year wait for this moment carries a painful backstory. At the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, Awang crossed the finish line first in the keirin — only to be disqualified. His teammate Josiah Ng was promoted to first place instead. That ruling denied Awang a gold medal he believed he had earned, Head Topics reported.
Saturday's win in Glasgow rewrote that story. Awang's tears at the medal ceremony spoke to just how much the moment meant. It was not simply a gold medal. It was vindication after more than a decade of near-misses on the sport's biggest stages.
Malaysia's National Anthem Rings Out in Glasgow
The medal ceremony carried rare historic weight for Malaysia. The national anthem, Negaraku, played in a Commonwealth Games cycling event for only the second time ever, according to SCMP. Malaysian flags filled the velodrome as Awang stood on the top step of the podium.
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil was among those to publicly celebrate the win. He praised Awang as "a symbol of resilience and national pride," according to Head Topics. The win resonated far beyond sport, becoming a moment of collective Malaysian pride back home.
A Retirement Looming After a Career-Defining Win
Awang has not hidden the fact that his career is winding down. The 38-year-old has floated the idea of retiring after the upcoming world track championships in China. He has also pointed to the Commonwealth Games itself as a possible final stage, according to Head Topics.
If Glasgow does mark one of his last major races, Awang is leaving on his own terms. He entered the sport's elite in his twenties, survived a career-defining setback in 2010, claimed a world title in 2017, and now holds Commonwealth gold at 38. For Malaysia, he has become something much bigger than a cyclist.
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