Harpal Singh Bedi / New Delhi
India dominated the opening day proceedings as its cyclists won seven medals including three gold in the 5th of Track Asia Cup 2018 at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi on Friday.
Bilal Ahmed Dar opened the India’s tally with a Silver in Point Race of 15km in Junior Men category. He earned total 19 points to bag the silver medal of this race. Kazakhstan’s Danll Pekhotin earned 22 points and grabbed the Gold. Venkanpa S Kengalgutti of SAINCA’s (India’s another team) bagged bronze.
Mayuri Lute won the gold medal in the Women Junior 500 meter as she outclassed Thailand’s rider clocking 37.538s with a speed of 47.95 km/hr while Thailand’s rider Kanyarat Hnokaew clocked 38.470s to win Silver. Kazakhstan’s Alyona Abramchuk won Bronze with 38.628s.
In the Women Elite 500 mtr. Time trial category, India’s M Sonali Chanu (37.140 s) had to satisfy with bronze finishing behind two Indonesian cyclists who performed a tough fight between each other with a difference of just 0.002 s.
The host’s men’s junior team performed as expected in the team sprint event, obtaining another gold defeating the Kazakhstan team.
Esow, Abhishek and Jemsh Singh of India clocked 46.804 s while the Kazakhstan team took 47.747 s for the finals. The Indian junior team is ranked second in the UCI rankings.
In the Women Elite Team Sprint event, Indonesian team won the gold medal with a timing of 34.862 s. India’s M. Sonali and Deborah obtained silver clocking 35.100 s. Hong-Kong obtained bronze in this event.
Adding to their medal stack, Indonesia secured gold again in the Men Elite Team Sprint timing 45.848 . Sahil, Sanu Raj and Apolonious of India secured silver with a timing of 47.103 s Bangladesh came third.
In the Men Elite Team Pursuit event, Indian team won the gold medal, while SAINCA and Bangladesh got silver and bronze respectively.
Along with India’s medals, SAINCA which competed separately, won one silver and a bronze.
Cyclists from 12 countries are taking part in this competition which is not only the qualifying event for World Cup and World championship, but also for 2020 Tokyo Olympics.