JAN PAUL Morales and Jermyn Prado completed a double-gold medal performance by ruling the criterium races of the Philippine National Cycling Championships for Road yesterday (Sunday) at McKinley West in Taguig City.
Winners of the men and women elite road races (massed start) in Subic, Olongapo City and Bataan a week ago, Morales and Prado made their team—Standard Insurance-Philippine Navy—proud of their accomplishment in the PhilCycling race that highlighted PRU Life UK’s PRUride PH 2018.
Morales, a veteran internationalist, who owns an Asian Championship bronze medal in track’s 1-kilo more than a decade ago, won solo in the one-hour-plus-three-laps criterium raced over a 1.10-km circuit.
He crossed the finish solo, beating by 1.386 seconds national team mainstay and Go For Gold’s George Oconer and Dominic Perez of 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines by 1.528 seconds.
Prado, on the other hand, edged Singapore 28th SEA Games individual time trial gold medalist Marella Salamat in a sprint finish—with Rombaon, a teammate of Salamat at Corratec—completing the podium.
“It feels different to be crowned national champion, and I am proud to wear both jerseys,” Morales said after the race that lured hundreds more in the amateur races that accompanied the national championships.
“I hope I could make the national team and try to bring honor for our country in international races,” Prado said.
Aidan Mendoza emerged as the men under-23 champion, beating Ronilla Quita and Tomas Mojares in the race for the top three places. Jeremy Gene Marana and Irish Wong finished 1-2 in the women under-23 category.
Pru Life UK Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Allan Tumbaga and Prudential PLC Head of Sponsorship Diane Pender awarded the medals to the winners during elaborate ceremonies held last night also at McKinley West.
PhilCycling President Tagaytay City Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino congratulated the winners and expressed optimism about the country’s strong performance in next year’s 30th SEA Games which the country is hosting.
“This is a healthy sign that our elite riders—and up-and-coming cyclists—are geared up toward our goal of dominating the SEA Games next year,” Tolentino said.