TAGAYTAY CITY — Japan won six of eight titles at stake, with Tokyo Olympic veteran Sae Hatakeyama claiming her second stint in the Olympics at the close of the Asian Cycling Confederation BMX Championships at the Tagaytay City BMX Park on Sunday.
The 24-year-old Hatakeyama had a great start at the start of the 800-meter women’s elite race and reached the finish line ahead of China’s Liao Wan Yi in 35.29 seconds.
Liao settled for the silver in 35.68 seconds, while Hatakeyama’s teammate Kanami Tano took the bronze in 36.29 seconds.
“I had a great start. I was able to go fast. It was good overall,” said Hatakeyama, who seeks to redeem herself after suffering an injury during her first run in the Tokyo Olympics.
After misfortunes fell on Filipino bets Daniel Caluag and Patrick Coo, Thailand took home the gold medal in the men’s elite race, with Komet Suprasert quickly pushing himself in front.
The 23-year-old Suprasert, who trains in Switzerland with Coo, went full blast in his last run to reach, going toe to toe in final stages with Indonesian foes Rio Akbar and Fasya Rifki, who landed second and third.
“I told to focus into going into the finals, and go full blast when in the finals,” said Suprasert’s coach Ath Chaimayo.
Coo, who was outjockeyed by his Indonesian rivals and could not get in position to overtake, clocked 36.52 seconds to land at eighth place during the finals.
Caluag, the Philippines’ lone gold medalist at the Incheon 2014 Asian Games, fell behind after back his wheel slipped at the starting ramp and did not finish the race during semifinals.
The competitions were calendared by both the International Cycling Union and Asian Cycling Confederation and hosted by the PhilCycling and Tagaytay City, led by Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
Also winning on Sunday were Indonesia’s Shifa Maulidina Qotron Nada (women) and Japan’s Hyoga Kiuchi (men) in the junior race and Japan’s Neneka Nishimura (women) and Adiya Fajar Putu Soekarno (men) in the under-23 category.