KUALA LUMPUR: Some hope to see the Pocket Rocketman flies on, but some feel that the time has come for him to retire.
Age, in this case, is a major factor, and if Azizulhasni Awang continues until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, he will be 40 by then.
Many feel that Azizulhasni should make a wise decision, ride into the sunset although there is no doubt of his physical and mental strength.
National road cycling legend, Nor Effandy Rosli, said he personally would not recommend that Azizulhasni continues his career, even though he acknowledges the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist and 2016 Rio bronze medallist' extraordinary fighting spirit.
"Spend time with your family. We know your strength, but how long can we stay on at the top? Maybe the time is up.
"Give others a chance, but pass on your knowledge to the new generation. In my opinion, that's the best course of action.
"When I was 38, I still participated in Le Tour de Langkawi. I won the national selection, but when I raced, I was 'finished' because I was exhausted; I had reached my limit.
"Retiring is not easy... you think about cycling from morning to afternoon, but you have to accept that age is catching up with you. For me, it's enough, and we should retire gracefully," said Nor Effandy, who also won a silver at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games.
At the recent Paris Olympics, Azizulhasni was disqualified in the keirin for overtaking the derny (motorcycle pacer) before it left the track.
The Terengganu rider had announced that the race in Paris was his last before retiring, but hinted that he might reconsider his decision upon returning to Malaysia.
Meanwhile, sports observer Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli echoed Nor Effandy's sentiments. "We're very grateful for Azizulhasni's contributions. With the disappointment in Paris, it's understandable that there would be a lot of frustration, especially within Azizulhasni himself.
"As an athlete, he must feel the urge to redeem that disappointment, but considering his age and the fact that it's four more years... we can't force him, but we hope he thinks it through thoroughly.
"Make a wise decision in this matter, and we must consider others as well, not just ourselves. Think about the country too. We shouldn't push him to continue for another four years to the Olympics, expecting him to win gold.
"But he needs to think carefully and wisely... is that the right decision? Sometimes, a decision may be good for us but not for others, or perhaps the future needs new talents to be developed.
"We're not asking him to retire or prevent him from pursuing his goals, but he must make a wise decision himself," said Pekan.