SEAG medalist claims cycling's first gold

MANILA, Philippines - Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist John Paul Morales became the first winner in the 2010 National Open Cycling Championships, which got under way at the Amoranto Velodrome yesterday.

The 24-year-old Morales topped the men’s 1,000-meter time trials in one minute and 14.5 seconds although it was way below the best time he posted in his bronze-medal feat in Thailand three years ago during the 2007 SEA Games.

But his time proved enough to beat Michael Quirimit by 13.39 seconds while using a borrowed, steel-framed track bike in the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines-conducted National Open, which is making a comeback after a 25-year hiatus.

“I’m in tip-top condition. But I didn’t use an aerodynamic bike so I wasn’t able to break my previous best time,” said Morales in Filipino.

He remained hopeful, however, that his podium finish will gain him a spot in the national pool for a crack at a berth in the national team competing in the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia.

Pangasinense rider Nilo Estayo, meanwhile, topped the massed start by taking the crowns in the 800-meter (1:06.70) and the 1600-meter (2:24.00) events.

“We had a slow start that’s why we had a slower clocking,” said Estayo in the bikefest backed by Shangri-La Finest Chinese Cuisine, Pepsi, Gatorade, Magnolia Water and the New San Jose Builders, owners of the Samar House where all the riders are billeted.

Solar Sports will cover the bikefest with nightly recaps of the day’s events and winners on Solar TV.

The National Open will be spiced up by the New San Jose Builders-Photo and Sportswriting Contest offering P15,000, P10,000 and P5,000 to the first, second and third placers, respectively.

Olongapo bet Wilfred Arabe outpaced Lawrence Mendoza to rule the junior competition.

Triathlete Ana Lisa Remigio dominated the women’s 1,000-meter time trials in 1:33.14, after outpacing multisport coach Kaye Lopez and Marita Lucas.  

“Finally, it’s a reality,” said ICFP president Dr. Philip Ella Juico of the National Open, last held in 1985 in Cagayan de Oro.

“Ultimately, it is the Filipino cyclist who will benefit from these kinds of competitions. This is just the start and we hope to hold more tournaments and races in the future,” said Juico, a former chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and also ex-secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform under the late President Corazon Aquino.

The cycling fiesta continues with the track events today, before holding the mountain bike competition tomorrow at the Timberland Heights, San Mateo, Rizal, courtesy of Edmund Mangaser.