Patrick Coo delivered a timely confidence boost for Philippine cycling after clinching the bronze medal over the weekend at the Asian BMX championships in Japan, strengthening the country’s podium ambitions for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand next month.

Coo placed third behind Japanese standouts Asuma Nakai and Ryo Shimada at the Nagoya Keirin Stadium BMX Race Course in Aichi Prefecture, marking a key momentum builder for the national BMX program. The result puts Coo in strong contention for gold when BMX racing rolls off at the SEA Games on December 11 and 12 in Bangkok.

Philippine cycling eyes breakthrough in Thailand

Philippine Olympic Committee president and PhilCycling chief Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino praised Coo’s podium finish and expressed optimism for a SEA Games breakthrough. “It’s a strong prelude for Patrick to win the gold medal in Thailand… He’s a strong potential for the gold and improve on the two bronze medals our sport got in Cambodia two years ago,” Tolentino said.

Nakai earned the maximum 300 UCI points, while Shimada claimed 258 points and Coo finished with 22. Filipino rider Niño Martin Eday also saw action, completing the eight-athlete final.

Regional field takes shape as SEA Games near

Notably absent in Japan was Thai ace Sukprasert, who swept the race and time trial events during BMX’s last SEA Games appearance in 2019 in Tagaytay City. Meanwhile, Jeanne Soliel Cervantes placed fourth in the Women’s Junior race behind riders from Korea and Thailand.

Coo, the 2019 Asian junior champion, continues to build toward a long-term goal of qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics — a path previously paved by Daniel Caluag, the Guangzhou 2014 Asian Games champion and the first Filipino BMX rider to compete at the Olympics.