KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 ― National track cyclist Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang has revealed that one of the reasons he has been strong enough to overcome various obstacles as well as the highs and lows in the world of sports is because of the influence of one individual he fondly refers to as "abah” (father).

Azizuhasni, who rarely shares about his unique relationship with "abah”, the late Mustafa Ngah, believes that some of the traits he possessed are from this individual.

"I rarely share about ‘abah’ not because I have forgotten all about his deeds, but I am not strong enough to speak about him. Every time I hear his name, I will feel sad as I miss him,” he said in a post on his Facebook account today.

However, Azizulhasni plans to clarify the actual status of the late Mustafa another time so as to clear up the confusion among many since the cyclist’s biological "abah” or father is Awang Embong.

He said the late Mustafa had raised him with love and gave him what he could when he was a child.

"I remember when I was still small, we had no car and whenever we wanted to go anywhere, I would sit in the basket of the motorcycle owned by ‘abah’ to accompany him everywhere,” he said.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medallist deeply regrets not being able to be with "abah” towards the end of his life, adding that he would share why he couldn’t be there some another time.

In the men’s keirin final on August 8, Jason Kenny of Great Britain bagged the gold medal while Azizulhasni pipped Dutch cyclist Harrie Lavreysen at the finish line for the silver medal. ― Bernama