Thai Cyclist Chaniphon Finishes Ninth at Asian Games
Thai cyclist Chaniphon Battreya finished ninth in the women's individual road race at the Asian Games in Nagoya, becoming the top Southeast Asian finisher in the 90.4-kilometer competition won by China's Guo Li.
Lieutenant Colonel Dechathorn Hemmakrasri, vice president of the Asian Cycling Confederation and president of the Thai Cycling Association, revealed that the women's individual road race at the 20th Asian Games cycling competition in Nagoya, Japan on September 22 had one gold medal up for grabs. The three Thai female cyclists were Petchdarin Somrat, Chaniphon Battreya, and Kamlodda Kaowplod. Team coach Wissuth Kasiyapat reported that 40 cyclists from 18 countries competed on a 90.4-kilometer circuit course featuring three laps with flat sections and mountain climbs. Chaniphon Battreya, who stayed with the leading group throughout, finished ninth with a time of 2:53:57, making her the top Southeast Asian finisher. The gold medal went to Guo Li from China, who tied with Fariba Hashimi of Afghanistan on a time of 2:50:05, with Fariba taking silver. The bronze went to Leung Wing Yee of Hong Kong in 2:50:46. Petchdarin Somrat finished 24th in 2:59:49, while Kamlodda Kaowplod was eliminated in the final lap.
Dechathorn praised the performance of the three Thai female cyclists, noting that Chaniphon's ninth-place finish was impressive because she outperformed all other Southeast Asian competitors, including Indonesia's Agustina Delia Prihartini, who won gold in the time trial at the 33rd SEA Games and finished 28th, and Vietnam's strong cyclist Nguyen Thi Tat, who placed 26th. The men's individual road race is scheduled for September 23, followed by mountain bike, BMX, and track cycling events. Dechathorn called on the Thai public to support the cyclists.
Coach Wissuth explained the race dynamics: the first lap saw the field stay together, but the mountain section split the group. A lead group of 16 riders escaped, including Chaniphon, while Petchdarin worked to prevent other Southeast Asian cyclists from advancing. Though Kamlodda did not finish, she helped pull Chaniphon into the leading group early on. In the final lap, three riders—from China, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong—broke away, with a chase group of six, including Chaniphon, finishing behind. Chaniphon crossed ninth, just behind Kazakhstan's Ritana Sultanova, who won the time trial gold and finished eighth. Other Southeast Asian cyclists dropped out during the mountain section; even the three Japanese home-country cyclists familiar with the course only managed fifth, 13th, and 19th places.
For the men's individual road race, Thailand's three cyclists are Pirapol Chaowachangwang, Sarawut Siriranjai, and Thanakarn Chaiyasumadit. Coach Wissuth expressed confidence they can perform well, having trained rigorously with hill climbs at Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai and being in peak physical condition. Key competitors come from Uzbekistan and Japan, professional-level athletes on the pro-tour circuit.
