TIGERS UNITED

New Zealand and South Africa finished on top at the HSBC SVNS tournament in Vancouver after strong performances at BC Place Stadium. South Africa’s men’s team, known as the Blitzboks , won the Vancouver title to add to their victories in Perth and Cape Town earlier this season. They went unbeaten throughout the tournament and climbed to the top of the series standings. South Africa are now level on points with Fiji in the overall rankings. The win was also their first tournament victory in Canada since the shortened series in Edmonton in 2021. Blitzboks captain Impi Visser said the team was proud of the result but quickly turned attention to the next tournament in New York. He explained that the squad had many changes recently, but the players worked hard to stay consistent and keep their winning momentum. Fiji continued their impressive run this season by finishing on the podium again. They defeated Australia to claim third place, making it five podium finishes in five tournamen...

Malaysian cycling legend Azizulhasni Awang proved he still belongs among the world’s best after producing a thrilling keirin victory at the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Perth. The 38-year-old star delivered a tactical masterclass in the final at the Perth SpeedDome . Starting fifth behind the derny, Azizulhasni patiently waited for his moment before latching onto the wheel of pre-race favourite Matthew Richardson of Great Britain on the penultimate lap. As Richardson surged ahead down the final straight, the Malaysian ace launched a perfectly timed sprint. In a dramatic dash to the line, Azizulhasni edged past Richardson by the narrowest of margins. A photo finish confirmed the Dungun-born rider had claimed gold, sparking celebrations as he performed his trademark wheelie for the crowd. The triumph was even more impressive as Azizulhasni had earlier been forced into the repechage after finishing third in his opening heat, making his path to victory even tougher. Meanwhile, Malaysi...