Two for the road for Pinoy cyclists

Vietnam Games veteran Alfie Catalan delivered in track’s individual pursuit yesterday, bringing to two the golds and hiking to nine the total number of medals the country has won so far in 23rd SEA Games cycling.

Catalan, 23, pedaled like hell in his final against Amirrudin Jamaluddin, beating the Malaysian with enough to spare and clinching the second cycling gold medal after Marites Bitbit’s in crosscountry of women’s mountain bike.

"In the last few laps, the coaches told me to full speed and I really gave it all for the gold," said Catalan, criterium bronze medalist in the Vietnam Games.

Catalan was timed 4:59.51 and Jamaluddin 5:00.02 in the pursuit, an event where riders start on opposite sides and race 10 laps over the track. Indonesia’s Suwandra clinched bronze in 5:07.78.

The Philippines also earned silver after being frustrated by Malaysia in the team pursuit and a bronze in the team sprint. Catalan joined the team pursuit that had its final almost an hour after the native of San Manuel, Pangasinan, won gold. He was with Arnold Marcelo, Paterno Curtan Jr. and Carlo Jazul.

Catalan and company timed 4:45.49. Malaysia clocked 4:40.13 in winning gold. Indonesia earned the bronze medal.

Nilo Estayo, Joeffrey Talaver and Jan Paul Morales made up the bronze-medal winning team sprint squad. In team sprint, riders also start from opposite sides of the track but race only three laps.

Other silvers from cycling came from Bitbit in women’s individual time trial of road and Joey Barba in downhill and Frederick Feliciano in crosscountry of MTB. Eusebio Quinones (MTB cross country) and Michael Borja (MTB downhill) contributed the other bronze medals.

Cycling wraps up with its 12th event, the men’s criterium, which will be raced beginning at 9 a.m. today at the Luneta. Riding for Team Philippines are Warren Davadilla, Enrique Domingo and Ericson Obosa. — With report from Jose Teodoro Mendoza