Nilai (Malaysia): Ace Indian cyclist Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam claimed a silver medal while setting a new national record in the individual time trial at the Asian Track Cycling Championship that concluded here on Monday.
India had success in the junior category of the event as Dhanyadha J P won silver in junior women’s individual pursuit.
Ronaldo, one of India’s best cyclists in recent times, came up with a superb performance as he finished second behind Fadil Zonia of Malaysia with South Korea’s Choi Woo-rim claiming the bronze medal.
The 21-year-old from Manipur, who is the first Indian cyclist to win a medal in the Asian Championship, clocked 1:00.863 to take silver behind Fadil Zonia, who clocked 1:00.559.
Ronaldo is India’s most successful cyclist in the Continental championship with a silver and two bronze medals, all three medals coming at the Asian Championship in New Delhi last year. He won a gold medal in Team Sprint in the Junior World Championship in 2019 at Frankfurt.
The medal in Malaysia is his third individual and fourth overall.
Ronaldo Singh’s timing of 1:00.863 is also India’s new national record in the 1km time trial, surpassing his own previous national record of 1:01.724, achieved last year.
The Asian Track Cycling Championship 2023 is a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Cyclists collect ranking points for the Summer Games. However, the 1km individual time trial is a non-Olympic event.
