KUALA LUMPUR: National rider Izzah Izzati Asri achieved her best-ever performance in the keirin at the global level by coming in a commendable seventh overall at the World Championships in Denmark tonight (Oct 20).
The 21-year-old placed third in her opening round heat - only the top-two advanced directly - but was able to win the subsequent repechage to move into the quarterfinals at the Ballerup Super Arena velodrome.
She then finished third in her quarterfinal heat (top-four advanced) to move into the semi-finals where she settled for fifth.
Netherlands' Hetty van de Wouw, Great Britain's Emma Finucane - who both finished on the keirin podium at the Paris Olympics - as well as Japan's Fuko Umekawa clinched the three spots for the final.
Izzah then contested the 7th-12th place decider which she won. China's Wang Lijuan and Colombia's Martha Pineda crossed the line second and third.
Izzah's teammate Anis Amira Rosidi did not make it past the first round repechage.
Japan's Mina Sato claimed gold in the women's final ahead of van de Wouw and Great Britain's Katy Marchant who settled for silver and bronze respectively.
Finishing seventh at the world meet is no doubt a breakthrough achievement for Izzah, who is only competing in the World Championships for the second time.
She did not make it past the first round repechage at the Paris Olympics in August.
Izzah, 21, has been tipped as a huge talent for the future. She has already won three gold medals at the Asian Championships.