KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian fans were left stunned by Azizulhasni Awang's disqualification from the Olympic keirin event in Paris on Saturday.
Azizulhasni, who began Heat 1 in sixth position, was judged to have overtaken the derny before it left the track at the Saint Quentin en Yvelines Velodrome.
Social media platforms were abuzz with fans' disbelief, as many had eagerly anticipated the event, with Azizulhasni viewed as the best prospect for winning a gold medal.
"Hope shattered," wrote Chamek Liam, while Md Nizam said, "It just wasn't meant to be."
The Malaysian team's appeal against the disqualification was dismissed by the jury.
Subsequently, Azizulhasni was not listed among those taking part in the repechages.
The first heat was won by Matthew Glaetzer from Australia and Dutch rider Jeffrey Hoogland, both advancing directly to the quarter-finals.