By OUR STAFF REPORTER
New Delhi, 15 Jan: As the curtains are drawn on the Asian Track Cycling Championships 2019, Jakarta, the hard work and efforts of the Cycling Federation of India put in over the years has resulted in rising from the 140 odd ranking to the absolute top of Junior Cycling in Asia. It has created an unbeatable record of winning all sprint Golds at stake and a complete sweep of the championships, including pursuit events, where a medal had been won till now.
Team India created records of all sorts, being the first ever team in the history of Cycling to secure Gold medals in all four sprinting events in Track Cycling. On the opening day, the men’s junior sprint team comprising Esow, Ronaldo Singh, Jemsh Singh and Y Rojit Singh rewrote their own record in team sprint event. Esow beat all the top junior riders of Asia to claim the 2nd Gold in his favorite Keirin event, and then claimed a 3rd Gold in the sprint event beating his compatriot Ronaldo Singh. With this he justified his number one ranking in the World in Keirin and Individual Sprint events.
Also, in the Women’s Junior sprinting section, Triyasha Paul claimed the Bronze Medal in the 500 Time Trial and went on to partner with Nikita Nisha to win a Silver Medal in the Team Sprint event.
After dominating the sprinting events, Team India stepped on the podium in endurance events also. For the first time in the history, the junior riders also proved their mettle, when the men junior pursuit team comprising Bilal Ahmed, Lanchenba Singh, Venkappa Kengalgutti and Gurpreet Singh secured the Bronze medal in 4 km Team Pursuit. Bilal Ahmed went on to win the Silver Medal in 3 km. individual pursuit, while Venkappa claimed the Silver Medal in Scratch Race.
Team India wrapped up the events with an impressive haul of 4 Gold, 4 Silver and 2 Bronze Medals to reach the top of the medal chart and claiming supremacy over cycling giants like China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Kazakhstan, who were among sixteen countries that participated in the 39th Senior & 26th Junior Asian Track Cycling Championships.
Onkar Singh, Secretary General, Cycling Federation of Indian and Asian Cycling Confederation, attributed this success to the hard-working coaching team lead by RK Sharma and VN Singh.
