Azizul Awang on Turning Weakness into Strength

1. Use your disadvantages

When I started out, people doubted mebecause of my physical size. I took that as a challenge and looked for ways to overcome the disadvantage. I found that leg speed is my speciality, so I used it to counter the power and strength of the big guys. I use a higher RPM in the race, around 160. In training, with a higher gear, I can even hit 200 for short sprints [more than three complete revolutions a second, under load]. In my first World Cup final, in Melbourne in 2008, I was the smallest rider, using the smallest gear – but I beat them all.

2. Don’t give up the fight

I was leading the 2011 World Cupseries in Manchester when a Spanish rider crashed into me. I came around lying on the track, got back on my bike and rode the last 100m, despite the pain. Then I looked down and saw a 15cm splinter piercing my calf – I thought I was hallucinating from concussion! I had surgery and did rehab and physio in Malaysia. It was so hard starting again after three months off the bike. But with the support of my family and coach, I fought my way back.

3. Focus on the future

Winning gold in the keirin at the2017 World Championships meant a lot to me. It’s a very special race; even if you’re on good form, you can’t win without a plan. I failed many times. When you don’t win a race, it’s difficult, but you have to stay hungry. Thomas Edison failed 99 times, and the 100th time he invented the light bulb. The best piece of racing advice I’ve ever had is: “Give everything, leave nothing.”

4. Work hard, then work harder

The level has risen so much since Riothat it’ll take more to win Olympic gold in the keirin at Tokyo 2020. I’m trying to increase my muscle mass – strength plus speed will mean more power on the bike. My half-squat was around 150-160kg, while other world-class sprinters do at least 200kg. So it’s time to push further. My coach says, “Train hard and race easy.”

5. See the track as a playground

It can get really intense in high-levelcompetition, and I see most of my rivals getting stressed and expending a lot of energy on that. For me, after I’ve trained really hard, the big race is the time to enjoy myself. When I step onto the track, I’m in my playground.

Medal-winner, father-of-two, national hero… Awang has achieved so much by the age of 30 – but he won’t rest until he’s tasted victory at Tokyo 2020

Azizul Awang is a Rapha rider; rapha.cc

Interview: Matt Ray

Photography: Bakri Hafiz Hisham