Better Under Than Over: Chopsuey Before the ACC Track Asia Cup 2nd Leg in Thailand, Team Pursuit

TEAM PURSUIT QUALIFYING

12 laps in 333 meters velodrome

Total distance: 4km

Time: 4mins 37 secs (my knowledge, but I don’t have a copy of the official results)

Average speed: 51.98 kph

 August 11, Saturday. Still tired from point race in the morning but have to prepare and warm up for my next race, team pursuit. The race should start at 3pm but was moved later in the afternoon due to rain and consequently wet track. There was a target time made by the coach that will serve as our basis if we’re having the right speed or slowing down.

While warming up, the team discussed possible scenarios like fast or slow start, in what lap are we going to accelerate, and how are we going to react to the other team’s actions. The team from Vietnam were first to start, followed by the Thais, then team Philippines. It was starting to rain when we started. Medyo nag-aalangan kami kasi baka biglang lumakas in the middle of the race, but we still manage to concentrate and focus on our race. At the beginning of the 1st lap, we were 1 sec behind of our targeted schedule of 26 sec, then back on the targeted time on the following laps. In the last 5 laps, the team leader, Alfie Catalan, led the team for 2 consecutive laps. I then took the lead for 1 lap, followed by another teammate before he fell back. Alfie, Marcelo, and I then finished the last lap.  We completed the 4km race in 4 mins 37 secs with an average speed of 51.98 kph. The team from Malaysia then started to race but was asked to stop due to heavy downpour. The team decided to go back to the hotel and rest kung papalarin makapasok sa final 4 tomorrow.

 TEAM PURSUIT FINALS

4 km team pursuit finals

Korea vs Iran for gold and silver

Hong Kong vs Philippines for bronze                                                                   

August 12, Sunday. The team were informed last night that we made it to the final 4. We will be racing against Hong Kong’s team. They timed in 4 mins 40 secs in the qualifying yesterday. 3 sec difference lang kaya’t nagkaroon ng bantayan ng oras at susundan lang namin ang time nila. We started the race like yesterday, not too fast nor too slow. We expected their move to start the race in high speed to intimidate us and make us struggle in catching up.

 During the first 3 laps, the other team was ahead of us and continued to widen the gap until the 5th lap, na tanaw na nila ang likod ng team namin. Hindi pa rin kami nagpanic. We then started to increase our pace. The other team then struggled in keeping up their pace. Nagkalasan na sila at nagkawatak-watak.  Inabot namin sila followed by a gun shot signalling the end of the race. Our team won the bronze. In the following race, Korea won the gold clocking 4 mins 24 secs with an average speed of 54.545 kph against Iran who took the silver.