Asian Cycling: South Korea offers to train Deborah, Manorama

Indian Cyclist Deborah (R) with T. Manorama (L) won Bronze Medal in Team Sprint Women Junior finals during the Asian Cyclist Championship.

Greater Noida - India’s best showing in the Hero Asian Cycling Championship is sending all the right signals as the Korean Cycling Federation offer the Indian riders a chance to practice alongside their cyclists in the run-up to the 2014 Junior Track World Championship to be held in Seoul, followed by the Asian Games at Incheon in the same year.

Encouraged by the India’s growing potential in the sport and with emerging talents like Deborah and Manorama Devi showing fight in their belly to take on the best Asian riders, the Korean officials have approached the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) officials to send the two riders to Seoul at no cost to Cycling Federation of India.

The move is likely to benefit Indian riders for whom it will be a much-needed exposure as they prepare for bigger battles like the World Championships and Asian Games next year.

Yun Heetae, Korean Cycling Federation manager, is optimistic about the prospect of a Korea-India partnership in cycling.

“Some of the Indian riders we saw at the Hero Asian Cycling Championship here has a lot of potential to succeed at the international level. We have 14 state-of-the-art velodromes in Korea and we are thinking of inviting the two girls to train with our cyclists, for a start,” said Yun.

“As you know, the Korean Cycling Federation is organising the Junior Track World Championship early next year and Asian Games at Incheon later. So it will be a good exposure for cyclists from both countries to train together and improve before these high profile events.”

CFI secretary-general Onkar Singh has agreed to the proposal in principle and said that he would chalk out the programme in the new few weeks.

“Korea’s invitation to our two riders for two months along with a coach is big step forward and in right direction. When the opportunity is beckoning, we would certainly utilize it. The exposure at the international level, whether for training purposes or participation in meets abroad will always be good for the cyclists. We will wait for the formal letter to come from the Korean Cycling Federation,” said Onkar Singh.