POCKET ROCKET MAN

(RAAP—014)

During the men’s keirin event at the Track World Cup, Malaysian cyclist Azizulhasni Awang was involved in a severe crash. The race, which was ultimately won by Sir Chris Hoy, saw Awang suffer a significant injury when a 20 cm splinter of Siberian pine from the track impaled his calf.

Remarkably, despite the severe injury, Awang managed to remount his bike and finish in third place. However, following the race, he collapsed from the pain and was transported off the track on a stretcher.

Awang was subsequently admitted to Manchester’s Royal Infirmary, where he underwent surgery to remove the splinter. The surgery required intervention from both ends of the injury due to the nature of the impalement.

The injury forced Awang to withdraw from the 2011 World Championships in the Netherlands. The crash, which involved cyclists from Poland, New Zealand, and Spain, also led to a chaotic scramble for Olympic qualification points.