Cyclist Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang and diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong were crowned as the National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the National Sports Awards (ASN) at a ceremony held at the National Sports Council in Bukit Jalil.
For Azizul, it was a record fifth crown after winning it 2009, 2010, 2017 and 2019/2020 while for Pandelela, it was her fourth since winning it in 2011, 2012 and 2015.
The 35-year-old Azizul won the men’s Keirin silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and another silver in the same discipline at the Victoria Championships in Australia in 2021.
Pandelela was the champion at the 2021 World Cup 10 metre individual platform event in Japan.
In the meantime, Bonnie Bunyau Gustin was awarded the 2021 National Paralympic Athlete while swimmer Brenda Anellia Larry was awarded the 2021 National Paralympic Sportswoman.
