Thai Cycling Team Wins Asian Bronze, Eyes 2028 Olympic Spot
Thailand's track cycling team finished third in Asia at the 2026 World Track Championships, earning Olympic qualification points and moving up to 13th in the world rankings. General Decha 'Muek' said the team will continue training and competing in events such as the Asian Championships and SEA Games to secure a spot at the 2028 Olympics. He also highlighted progress in BMX racing and called for public support of Thai cyclists.
General Decha 'Muek', president of the Cycling Association, greeted the Thai track cyclists who returned from the 2026 World Track Championships in Shanghai, China. The squad consisted of 'TJ' Jay Angksuthasawit, 'Nae' Navy officer Noresetsadha Boonma, and 'Makham' Sergeant Yeunyong Phettrat, supported by team manager and coach Police Lieutenant Jutatip Maniphan and mechanics Natthanon Nakamanee and Panya Sameton. Speaking on October 17 at Suvarnabhumi Airport, General Decha said he came to encourage the athletes after their team sprint placed 13th out of 19 teams, earning 787.5 Olympic qualification points, which lifted Thailand from 15th to 13th in the world rankings with a time of 44.183 seconds, while the champion Netherlands clocked 42.361 seconds. In Asia, Thailand sits third behind only China and Japan, having defeated Hong Kong, Malaysia, and several European teams. He added that to secure a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, riders must improve their times through more training camps and increased competition, including the Asian Track Championships in Malaysia (January 31–February 6, 2027), UCI Track World Cup rounds in Canada, Hong Kong, and China, and the 34th SEA Games in Malaysia (September 18–29). General Decha also pointed out gains in BMX racing, with 42 points earned from the UCI BMX World Cup 2026 in China, bringing Thailand's total to 339 points and a 22nd world ranking, and noted that Thailand will host the Asian BMX Championships in May 2027 at the Kmll Sports BMX track, where champions receive automatic Olympic berths. He concluded by urging the Thai public to support the cyclists and thanked everyone for their encouragement.
