Thursday, October 7, 2010

Keirin gold medalist Azizulhasni disqualified

New Delhi:  Malaysian rider Josiah Ng ended Australia's dominance in the Commonwealth Games velodrome on Wednesday, taking gold in the men's keirin after his compatriot Azizulhasni Awang was disqualified.

Awang powered through a tight gap to take the race in the home straight from Ng, who finished second ahead of England's David Daniell.

But officials announced after the race that Anwang was being disqualified for "dangerous sprinting", handing the gold to Ng.

Daniell was bumped up to the silver medal spot with Simon Van Velthooven of New Zealand getting bronze.

"To be honest I'd have been happy with silver because he deserved to win," Ng said in a show of solidarity with his teammate after the race.

"He didn't intrude but that's just my opinion. That's sport, I guess."

The gold medalist said Awang was "like a brother" to him, adding: "It's not my medal -- it's our medal."

Ng said he was "proud and emotional" as he had worked hard in training to confound his detractors.

"A lot of people questioned and doubted me, saying I was not worthy of being on the Malaysia team, but I just keep going because I love my country and love my sport."

Daniell, a 1000m time trial specialist who switched to the keirin to improve his chances of a place in the 2012 Olympic team, said he did not see the drama unfold until watching the screen after the race.

"I just raced my race and gave 100 percent along the way," he said.

Van Velthooven's said it felt "great" to win a medal at the end of the season.

Ross Edgar, Scotland's Olympic keirin silver medalist, crashed out earlier as he was attempting to reel in a deficit to the leaders in the second semi-final but was brought down by South Africa's Bernard Pierre Esterhuizen.

Australia's Shane Perkins was implicated in the collision and was disqualified, his place in the final going to England's Peter Mitchell, while Esterhuizen was wheeled away on a stretcher sporting a number of cuts and scratches


Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com

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