Sabah team makes a successful debut
Published on: Tuesday, May 21, 2019
By: GL Oh
KOTA KINABALU: Cycology Sabah Racing Team ended their challenge with one gold, one silver and one bronze at the Taiwan International Track Cup competition which concluded on Monday.
The gold came in the men’s junior scratch race from Waldron Chee on the opening day, who also delivered a bronze in the men’s junior points race behind teammate Bong Yong Xian who took the silver on Sunday.
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The team failed to win any medals on the final day but Chika Cherryca Chia came very close with her fourth place finish in the 500m time trial.
She also missed the podium on Sunday after finishing in fourth place as well in the sprint event.
Other results on Monday saw Darren Chong finishing fifth in the 1km time trial, Lim Chun Kiat placed sixth among the 20 starters in the men’s elite scratch race and Waldron in seventh place in the men’s junior keirin.
Team coach Louis Pang was pleased with the team’s maiden outing in the three-day competition.
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“I thought we did brilliantly with one gold, one silver and one bronze. At the junior level, we raced with intelligence, guts and decisiveness. We are definitely best when we are on the offence.
“However, at international level, we got punished for every mistake that we made, which we would have gotten away at a domestic level. This trip has been a great learning experience for us,” he said on Monday.
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He also praised the other riders in the team apart from medal winners Waldron and Bong.
“Darren worked very hard and could barely walk after the 1km time trial, and his work rate was phenomenal.
“Chika, barely six weeks into track training, was calm and collected under pressure. She was fourth in sprint and 500m time trial. Race acumen and higher fitness level will take more time to develop but she showed some great qualities in Taiwan.
“Lim Chun Kiat, who is turning 19 in July, did Sabah proud in a field that included multiple Asian champions and SEA Games medallists.
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“He did superbly in his first international race in the men’s elite category. To finish sixth in scratch race and eighth in Omnium was a great achievement.
“He was only competing in the men’s junior last year and it is a different level with the elite and we need to give him time and opportunity to mature in his tactics and technique,” he said.