Filipino cyclist Patrick Coo (right) and Japan's Asuma Nakai in action in the Asian BMX Championships. Handout/PhilCycling
MANILA -- Expectations are rising for Filipino cyclist Patrick Coo in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand next month.
This, after he claimed a bronze medal at the Asian BMX Championships in Japan over the weekend.
"It's a strong prelude for Patrick to win the gold medal in Thailand which is a little over a month away," said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, who also heads the national federation for cycling, PhilCycling.
"He's a strong potential for the gold and to improve on the two bronze medals our sport got in Cambodia two years ago," he added.
Veteran Ronald Oranza delivered two bronze medals for the Philippines in road cycling in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.
Asuma Nakai and Ryo Shimada led a Japanese 1-2 at the Keirin Stadium BMX Race Course in Aichi Prefecture. Another Filipino, Niño Martin Eday, finished eighth and last in the field.
Meanwhile, Thailand ace Sukprasert did not compete in the Japan tourney. Sukprasert won the race and time trial gold medals the last time BMX racing was on the SEA Games program during the 30th edition in 2019 in Tagaytay City.
Nakai got the maximum 300 UCI ranking points, Shimada earned 258 points and Coo 22 points in the event that also featured riders from Indonesia, Hong Kong and South Korea.
Jeanne Soliel Cervantes, meanwhile, was fourth in the Women Junior race behind Korean Kim Yeseo and Thais Praphada and Paphichaya Khongpong
Coo, the Asian junior champion in 2019, is also aiming to qualify for the Los Angeles Summer Games in 2028.
BMX racing at the Thailand SEA Games is set for December 11 and 12 at the BMX Stadium inside the Kamol Sports Park in Bangkok.