Farr, Prado lead 21-member Philippine cycling squad in SEA Games

MANILA, Philippines – Southeast Asian Games gold medalists John Derick Farr and Jermyn Prado will spearhead the 21-strong Philippine cycling team seeing action in the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games slated May 12 to 23.

Farr, who struck gold in the last edition of the biennial meet in Tagaytay City three years ago, will compete again in the men’s downhill of mountain bike while Prado plunges into action in three women’s road race events including the individual time trial where she nailed a mint in 2019 SEA Games in Tagaytay.

Farr will be racing alongside 2019 SEA Games silver medalist Eleazar Barba, Jr. while Prado’s other events are criterium and massed start alongside Marella Salamat, Avegail Rombaon, Maura Christine delos Reyes, Maritoni Krog and Kate Yasmin Velasco.

PhilCycling chief Abraham Tolentino did not make a medal forecast but vowed the team will compete hard to surpass, if not duplicate, its three-gold, four-silver and four-bronze medal haul last time.

“We will compete hard, that’s for sure,” said the congressman from Tagaytay and Philippine Olympic Committee president.

Also in the team is newly crowned 11th LBC Ronda Pilipinas champion Ronald Lomotos, who will see action in the massed start together with Navy Standard Insurance teammates John Mark Camingao, George Oconer and Ronald Oranza and Go for Gold standout Daniel Ven Carino.

“I will do my best to help the team,” said the 27-year-old Lomotos.

Also earning slots to the national squad were Dominic Perez, Jan Paul Morales and Aidan James Mendoza (criterium), John Mark Lexer Galedo and Marc Ryan Lago (ITT), Nino Surban, Edmhel John Flores and Jericho Rivera (mountain bike cross country Olympics and relay).