Thai Cyclist Atit Finishes Sixth at Asian Games Time Trial
Thai cyclist Atit Pulard finished sixth in the men's 32-kilometer individual time trial at the Asian Games in Japan, ranking first among Asian competitors despite recovering from recent intestinal issues.
General Decha Hemkrasri, vice president of the Asian Cycling Confederation and president of the Thai Cycling Association, revealed that Thailand's road cycling team made their debut at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan on September 20. Team manager Coach Tam Visutti Kasiyapat reported that two Thai cyclists competed for medals in the individual time trials: Petchdarin Somraj in the women's event and Atit Pulard, a Thai-French cyclist, in the men's event, using the Shinshiro Cycling Road Course with 8-kilometer loops.
In the men's 32-kilometer individual time trial, Atit Pulard finished sixth with a time of 43:55.98 out of 18 competitors. Gold went to Alexey Lutsenko from Kazakhstan at 41:24.05, silver to Shunsuke Imamura of Japan at 42:58.04, and bronze to Jambalkhamsarung Senbayar from Mongolia at 42:58.06. Despite finishing sixth, Atit delivered a strong performance and ranked first in Asia. Before the Games, Atit had suffered intestinal issues requiring medical treatment, making his effort all the more commendable.
In the women's 24-kilometer event, Petchdarin Somraj completed the course in 39:50.48, placing eighth out of 16 competitors. Gold was claimed by Ritana Sultanova from Kazakhstan at 36:23.72, silver by Zhang Hao from China at 36:28.40, and bronze by Su Jizhang from South Korea at 36:56.14. Petchdarin secured first place in Asia, decisively defeating Indonesia's Agustina Delia Periatni, who won gold at the 33rd SEA Games, who finished 11th at 40:49.58.
Coach Tam stated that both Thai cyclists performed well and achieved good times, but acknowledged that Atit cannot yet match professional tour-level riders. Lutsenko maintained an average speed of 46.2 km/h, while the Japanese cyclist managed 44.8 km/h despite the home advantage. Atit averaged 43.8 km/h, with Chinese and Taiwanese riders finishing close behind by just seconds.
Coach Tam added that Thailand's next event is the women's 96-kilometer road race on September 22, featuring Petchdarin Somraj, Chaniporn Battriya, and Komalrada Khaopplod. They face tough competition from Kazakhstan and the host nation, making medals unlikely, but the team hopes to place in the top five. Atit will travel to the UCI Road World Championships after the Asian Games conclude.
