The Thai cycling team is advancing its training camp for track cyclists to prepare for the Asian Games in Japan, while competing to accumulate points to secure Olympic quota spots.
The Thai cycling team is moving forward with training camps for short-distance track cyclists led by Jai, Norasetthada, and Yuenyong, while competing in various events to prepare for the 20th Asian Games in Japan and simultaneously accumulate points to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA.
General Decha Hemkrasri, Deputy President of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC), President of the ASEAN Cycling Federation (ACF), and President of the Cycling Association of Thailand under the Royal Patronage, revealed that the International Cycling Union (UCI) has published the qualification criteria for cyclists aiming to compete in the 34th Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA, in 2028. Selection for road cycling, track cycling, mountain biking, and BMX racing will be based primarily on accumulated points. Specifically, for track cycling, Olympic qualification points will be earned only from continental championships, track cycling World Cup events, and the track cycling World Championships.
General Decha said that under these qualification rules, the Cycling Association of Thailand will begin training camps and competition tours to prepare for the 20th Asian Games in Japan, while accumulating points to secure Olympic quota spots for the 2028 Games. The focus is on the short-distance team led by “TJ” Jai Angsuthasawit, “Nao” Police Senior Sergeant Norasetthada Bunma, and “Makham” Police Senior Sergeant Yuenyong Petchrat. At the 33rd SEA Games, the team made significant progress in events like team sprint, keirin, and sprint, gaining attention from major Asian powers as a rising championship contender. In the team sprint event, the Thai cyclists recorded 1:00.720 minutes, breaking the previous Thai record of 1:02.985 held by the Air Force Cycling Team. Unfortunately, they narrowly lost to Malaysia’s team, which clocked 1:00.500 minutes, by just a fraction of a second.
General Decha added that the Thai short-distance track cyclists will begin training in mid-January 2026 to prepare for the first round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup 2026 in Perth, Australia, from 6-8 March 2026. They will continue training to compete at the 2026 Asian Track Cycling Championships in the Philippines from 25-31 March 2026 and the third round of the 2026 Track World Cup in Nilai, Malaysia, from 24-26 April 2026. The team may also consider participating in other international events in Asia to accumulate sufficient points to qualify for the 2026 Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai, China. The UCI has designated the 2026 and 2027 Track World Championships as official Olympic qualification events for the 2028 Games.
General Decha continued that rising star Norasetthada, who was the 2024 World Junior Sprint runner-up, has been selected by the World Cycling Center (WCC) in Switzerland for long-term training with the goal of qualifying for the 2028 Olympics. The Thai Cycling Association will cover significant expenses, including travel, accommodation, and competition costs in Europe during his training period. Norasetthada is expected to travel to Switzerland in mid-January 2026 after completing all necessary paperwork.
Besides sending Norasetthada for long-term training at the World Cycling Center, the association plans to send the short-distance team, including rising talent Sirawit Saensai who recently moved up from junior level, to train at an indoor 250-meter velodrome in China. This is to help Thai cyclists adapt for optimal performance at the Asian Games, as the Japanese host will use the Izu Velodrome—venue of the 2020 Olympic cycling events—while Thailand currently has only a 333.33-meter outdoor velodrome. The association will bear the costs for sending Norasetthada to Europe for training and competitions, as well as sending the national team to China for velodrome training, all aimed at ensuring the Thai team’s success in the upcoming major competition,” General Decha concluded.