Caluag rules Asian BMX Elite category

LONDON Olympian Daniel Caluag greatly admired the undulating course at the Tampines Bike Park in Singapore, and it’s not difficult to figure why.

The Filipino-American validated his status as the continent’s No. 1 BMX rider with a sizzling run on the dusty 355-meter Tampines course to win the gold medal in the men’s Elite category of the recent 8th Asian BMX Championships.

Caluag, the only Asian to qualify for the BMX races of the London Games last year, clocked 29.951 seconds, beat the Japanese duo of Tatsumi Matsushita (30.306 seconds) and Jukia Yoshimura (30.448) in the main event of the continental competition.

“I knew that the rest were all going to be fast and I’m happy that I put together a solid lap in the main event,” the 26-year-old Caluag told Singapore’s Todayonline.com.

“This track is one of the best in Asia,” added Caluag, referring to the bike park, venue of the BMX events of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Nino Marin Eday, another rising Filipino speedster,  placed 16th.

Caluag, whose parents migrated to California from Bulacan, finished last among eight riders in his heat during the London Olympics.

“We know his capabilities as an athlete, that’s why we are happy that he continues to perform according to expectations,” said Cavite 7th district Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, president of PhilCycling and the man who tapped Caluag to race for the PH team.

Caluag was one of 11 Filipino athletes who made it to London and the first national rider to race in the Olympics since 1992, when Norberto Oconer and Domingo Villanueva qualified for the Barcelona Games.