Coo bags bronze in first SEA Games BMX race

BANGKOK — Hangzhou 19th Asian Games bronze winner Patrick Coo raced to his first ever SEA Games podium finish, claiming a bronze medal in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games BMX men’s time trial event on Friday night at the BMX Stadium inside the Kamol Sports Park here.

Coo, 23, flashed speed and endurance but could not prevent Thailand from scoring a 1-2 finish courtesy of Asian champion Komet Sukprasert and Putthaphum Nakpaen.

Coo clocked 36.618 time, barely beating — Indonesian Akbar Rio who clocked 36.772 for fourth.

“It is my fist SEA Games, and I won the Asian Games bronze. I came up with a higher expectation, and I am disappointed, but I will take the bronze medal. I am proud of adding a bronze in the Philippine’s medal tally,” Coo said.  

“I am very thankful to the Philippine delegation and to PhilCycling.”

Incheon Asian Games gold medalist and 2019 SEA Games silver medalist Danny Caluag finished fifth among seven riders with 39.106 time, but vowed to get back stronger in Saturday’s BMX men’s race event.  

“I am happy with the result since time trial is not my event, but I will do my best to come back stronger tomorrow,” Caluag said.  

Sukprasert, 25, the gold medal winner since the 2019 games in Tagaytay, Philippines, clocked 34.526, just a second faster than silver medalist Nakpaen’s time of 35.507.