Thai Track Cycling Team Sprint Rises to World No. 12
Thailand's men's track sprint team rose to 12th in the UCI world rankings after a 13th-place finish at the 2026 World Championships in China
Pol. Gen. Decha Hemkrasri, president of the Thai Cycling Association, revealed that Thailand's men's track sprint team — comprising Jai Angsuthasawit, Narasetthada Boonma and Yuenyong Phetcharat — finished 13th in the team sprint at the 2026 UCI Track World Championships in China. The result lifted Thailand from 15th to 12th in the latest UCI world rankings with a total of 2,475 points.
Decha explained that Olympic qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Games will be based on points earned at the 2026 and 2027 World Championships, the 2027 and 2028 World Cup seasons (six rounds), and the 2027 and 2028 Asian Championships. The team's 13th-place finish in China netted 525 points, marking the first points toward Olympic selection.
The three riders will continue intensive training through late 2026 and early 2027 to peak for the 2027 Asian Championships in Malaysia (January 31 – February 6, 2027), a key Olympic qualifier. Beyond the team sprint, Thailand can also chase points in the individual sprint and keirin, both Olympic medal events.
The 2027 World Cup calendar includes three rounds in April–May 2027: Canada, Hong Kong and China. The qualification period closes with the 2027 UCI Track World Championships in France in August 2027.
Decha added that short-track racing is decided by fractions of a second, so the riders must maintain peak fitness year-round. In addition to Olympic points, the 34th SEA Games in Malaysia (September 2027) is a major target before the final 2028 World Cup rounds (March–April 2028). The Olympic qualification window ends on April 14, 2028.
For the 2028 Olympic campaign, the association has approved a training plan by head coach Pol. Lt. Col. Juthathip "Bees" Maniphan. The squad will train at the Huamak velodrome from November through December 2026, focusing on strength and power development, then move to a training camp in China — either Guangzhou or Tianjin — throughout January 2027 to acclimatise to the 250-metre indoor wooden track ahead of the Asian Championships.
"The Thai team sprint has worked incredibly hard, rising from an Asian ranking of 5th–6th..."
