Tagaytay: China dominated the medal tally with 18 gold, 10 silver, and one bronze medal at the 45th Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track Cycling Championships and the 14th Asian Para Track Cycling Championships, which concluded Tuesday night at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome.
According to Philippines News Agency, Japan finished second with 7 gold, 7 silver, and 10 bronze medals, followed by South Korea (5-9-7), Kazakhstan (4-5-2), and Chinese Taipei (3-4-5). Notably, Japan's riders used track bikes reportedly worth PHP7 million each. Hong Kong, China, and Uzbekistan secured three gold medals each, while Malaysia collected two. India and Singapore each earned one silver medal, and Indonesia took home two bronze medals.
Uzbekistan dominated the para cycling competition with 17 gold, 10 silver, and seven bronze medals. Malaysia placed second (9-6-2), followed by South Korea (9-1-3), Japan (7-2-3), and the United Arab Emirates (3-5-2).
Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) president Dat³ Amarjit Singh praised Tagaytay City and PhilCycling president Abraham 'Bambol' Tolentino for successfully hosting the event. Athletes, coaches, and team managers also commended both the organization of the championships and the city's hospitality.
'The Philippines, specifically the Tagaytay CT Velodrome, now has its own niche on the global track cycling map,' Tolentino said in a news release on Wednesday. Barely a year after its inauguration in June last year, the Tagaytay CT Velodrome has already made a significant mark on the international cycling scene by hosting the Asian championships, which featured nearly 600 world-class athletes from 16 nations.
'We are now in the company of global destinations for competitions and training in the track cycling community. The next big step is to sustain the momentum-not only in hosting international events but also in fully developing our own track cyclists,' said Tolentino, who also serves as president of the Philippine Olympic Committee. He tempered expectations by noting that the country's track cycling program is 'starting from scratch,' but emphasized that the championships are expected to spark greater interest in the discipline among athletes, the public, and sponsors.
'It has been 31 years since the Philippines last hosted this event-1995 at the now-defunct Amoranto Velodrome and now in 2026 at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome. It's historic,' Tolentino said, thanking the Philippine Sports Commission, MVP Sports Foundation, Sports Plus PH, Toyota, and Peak for their support.
Tolentino highlighted the bronze medal won by Patrick Gerard Lee in the para men's elite scratch race and the new national record set by Zedrick Ivan Honorica in the flying 200 meters as signs of a promising future for Philippine track cycling. 'Yes, a Filipino rider can compete in track cycling,' Tolentino said, adding that both athletes received cash incentives.
When asked about the future of the Tagaytay CT Velodrome, Tolentino said: 'There's a long list-from completing track equipment to regularly hosting local, national, inter-club, and international championships. This was a dream that became reality, and we will continue to build on it.'
