Teenager Krog races to silver in Asian championships

Rex Luis Krog is all smiles after the awarding ceremonies.

An unassuming Rex Luis Krog bagged the Men Junior silver medal of road race in the Asian Cycling Championships Saturday in Naypyidaw, Myanmar—booking what could be the biggest accomplishment of his budding career.

Krog, who will turn 18 in May 14, clocked two hours, 32 minutes and 49 seconds and finished 11 seconds behind breakaway partner Taisei Hino of Japan and (2:32:38) and 12 seconds ahead of Wachirawit Saenkhamwong (2:33:01) to snatch the country’s first Asian championships medal after Rustom Lim’s road race bronze in 2011 in Thailand.

The start list consisted of 43 of the most promising cyclists in the continent with Krog and his coach, Ednalyn Calitis Hualda, approaching the race with a mix of strength, stamina and science.

A natural climber in the making, Krog, who traces his roots to cycling hotbed Nueva Ecija, was instructed to shift to a heavier gear—a strategy that allowed the team sent by the PhilCycling headed by Tagaytay City Rep. Abraham Tolentino to end a seven-year medal drought in the continental championships.

“[It was] a strategy we mapped on the eve of the race,” Hualda said.