KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — National track cycling champion Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang is considering joining the Road To Gold (RTG) programme as a mentor, possibly in the next one or two years but not in the immediate future.

The Pocket Rocketman said the plans was for him to join the RTG committee together with athletes such as Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Datuk Nicol Ann David.

“Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) and the National Sports Council (NSC), they are hoping that I can still be under RTG.

“For me if I’m in the RTG programme (as athlete), it is my responsibility and I am not going to just stay there for nothing, I have to achieve my key performance indicators (KPIs). That is why I need to take some time to think about what is the next plan.

“I do not see myself joining (the programme as mentor) right now, maybe in one or two years. At the moment, I think not going to be under the RTG Board members yet,” he told the media after the launch of CIMB’s ‘Kita Bagi Jadi’ Campaign at Menara CIMB here today.

The 36-year-old cyclist has previously stated that he planned to take a break after competing in the final men’s keirin event at the 2024 Paris Olympics last August and indicated that he would take time before deciding on his future plans.

“Now I’m in a rest phase after the Olympics, so I have till the end of the year to come up with a new plan. KBS and NSC have always been supportive of my career, and they want to discuss my future after this.

“I don’t want to rush into making a decision because it’s about the future, so I’ll take my time. Right now, my focus is on resting both physically and mentally.

Usually, after a tournament, we as athletes rest physically, but this time I need to rest both physically and mentally,” he added.

Mohd Azizulhasni’s participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics came to an abrupt end when he was disqualified in the first heat of the men’s keirin event for overtaking the derny before it left the track at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome on Aug 10.

The disqualification ended Mohd Azizulhasni’s hopes of securing an Olympic gold medal in what would have been his final appearance at the Games. — Bernama