"Sergeant Major Muek" is confident the Thai BMX team has a chance to win 1-2 medals at the Asian Games.
"Sergeant Major Muek," General Decha Hemkrasri, expressed satisfaction with the Thai national BMX team's results of 2 gold, 5 silver, and 1 bronze medals at the international BMX event "Banyuwangi Supercross" in Indonesia. He noted this as an important test before heading to the Asian Championships in Malaysia and the 20th Asian Games in Japan, setting a target of 1-2 medals for the men's team and aiming for the women's team to reach the finals to contend for medals.
General Decha Hemkrasri, Vice President of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC), President of the ASEAN Cycling Federation (ACF), and President of the Cycling Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage, revealed that winning 2 gold, 5 silver, and 1 bronze medals by the Thai national BMX racing team at the international Banyuwangi Supercross event in Indonesia on 27-28 June marked the start of preparations ahead of two major events: the 2026 Asian Championships in Nilai, Malaysia, from 6-8 August, and the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.
General Decha said that at the Indonesia competition, besides the Thai Asian Games national team riders—"Ae" Sergeant Gometh Sukprasert, "Ohm" Mr. Phutthaphum Nakpaen, "Fah" Corporal Chutikarn Kitwanitseth, and "Kwan" Ms. Hathaiphet Jaiswang—gaining international race atmosphere and warming up after months of training camp, it was also an opportunity to observe the form of Indonesian riders, key rivals in Southeast Asia and across Asia.
"According to Mr. Harvey Creps, the Thai national coach, who analyzed the competition in Indonesia, the Indonesian men's riders have improved compared to when they lost to Gometh and Phutthaphum at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand last year, but they still lag behind the Thai team in speed and technique. Phutthaphum's third-place finish in the under-23 category on the first day and Gometh's second-place finish on the second day resulted from race circumstances. BMX racing is a speed sport decided by fractions of a second in events lasting under a minute. Mr. Creps will use the lessons from these mistakes to improve the Thai team’s chances of success in the upcoming major events," General Decha said.
"Sergeant Major Muek" added that Mr. Creps acknowledged the Thai women's team is somewhat behind the Indonesian female riders. However, there is still time before the Asian Championships and Asian Games to address weaknesses and improve results. The 2026 Asian BMX Championships in Malaysia will not only crown the Asian champions but also serve as a points qualifier for the World Championships and 2028 Olympic Games. At the same time, the Thai national riders will face key competitors for Asian Games medals: the men's team will contend with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, while the women's team will compete against Japan, China, and Indonesia.
"Based on Mr. Harvey Creps' analysis, the Thai national team maintains its goal of winning 1 or 2 medals in the men's events at the Asian Games, with the ultimate aim of gold. For the women's team, the goal is to finish in the top 1-5, meaning reaching the finals. If the women's team can advance to the finals, they still have a chance to secure a medal, which would exceed expectations," General Decha concluded.