Hangzhou 2022: Well-organised Games and careful planning key to dream debut for mountain biker
By Jeremiah Ong
Team Singapore’s sole mountain bike representative, Riyadh Hakim Lukman, hailed his “best performance ever” after competing in the men’s individual cross-country final at the Chun'an Jieshou Sports Centre Mountain Bike Course on a steamy Monday afternoon (Sep 25).
The 135th-World ranked Riyadh hit an average speed of 13.413 km/h and an average heart rate of 185 through the scenic course, finishing ninth (1:54:04) out of 17 riders.
Hitting a max heart rate of 197 during his race, the 24-year-old said: “Honestly, that was the best performance I have ever done, the power and heart rate numbers show that it definitely was not an easy race.
“On a course that is much longer than usual standards, I think I managed it as best as I could.”
Riyadh racing along a 25.5km long circuit at the scenic Chun'an Jieshou Sports Centre Mountain Bike Course. (Photo: SportSG/ Stanley Cheah)
Racing on the picturesque course filled with lush greenery, hills and a lake view to boot, the 2019 Cross Country Eliminator Asian Champion was thrilled to finally make his Asiad debut.
“The scenery was really nice. We could see that we were racing by the lake at some parts and we also went through a part of what I think was a theme park,” Riyadh said.
“Debuting at the Asian Games feels absolutely surreal. And to experience such a well-organised Games at my first Asian Games just makes it that extra special.”
He also credited good preparation leading up to his race and proper heat management strategies as reasons for his performance.
“So many things went well, from the days before competition up to the final minutes before toeing the line,” he added.
Other factors he cited include good sleep, sufficient food from the dining halls and help from volunteers to ensure schedules were met with exceptional precision.
Riyadh traversing the hilly course. (Photo: SportSG/ Stanley Cheah)
Riyadh, who was in the first line of six racers, got off to a promising start on the 25.5km-long course firmly in third after the 800m start loop.
Things started to get tricky after the first lap as he slipped to seventh and then tenth on his second lap.
He recovered slightly to ninth in the third and maintained that pace to the finish line.
Riyadh finished in ninth on a sultry afternoon. (Photo: SportSG/ Stanley Cheah)
Post-race, Riyadh was buoyed by a belief that his race showed he was “bridging the gap to the stronger countries in Asia”.
Speaking on his future participation in major Games, he said: “There is so much more I want to achieve in this sport. Always searching for ways to improve. As long as I have the support, I will do my best."
The full-time national biker is already setting his sights on the MTB Eliminator World Championships in Indonesia next month where he will race in the cross-country eliminator. A week later, he will head to India for the MTB Asian Continental Championships to compete in the cross-country eliminator and cross-country olympic events.
The 19th Asian Games are held in Hangzhou, China from 23 September to 8 October 2023. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.
Related Articles
Related Topics
Recent Events & Programmes
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Topics
[BlogPost 164749641842 NSG 2024 Netball: Senior Div Girls League 3 Preliminary Round 2, BlogPost 163985727414 Beyond the Field: Exciting Sports Careers for Non-Athletes, BlogPost 164438712123 NSG 2024 Badminton: Senior Div Girls Quarter-Finals, BlogPost 164238055490 Evergreen Aleksandar Duric Still Making Headlines at 53, BlogPost 164170080646 NSG 2024 Rope Skipping: Junior Div Girls Freestyle Team Finals, BlogPost 162884973666 Move and Rest Better With Data From Your Own Body, BlogPost 163393049482 Life Comes Full Circle For Serangoon Garden Secondary School's Fahrish Khan, BlogPost 163258797651 Making Golf a Sport for All, BlogPost 162512222328 NSG 2024 Sepaktakraw: Senior Div Yuhua Primary School vs Qihua Primary School, BlogPost 162233592997 Gritty Lions Suffer Loss to China, BlogPost 162089384371 On Your Mark, Get Ready, Go Running, BlogPost 161670652697 Lions' Excellent Showing Against China, BlogPost 161435270031 Ogura Optimistic for Exciting Clash against China, BlogPost 161127614758 The Future of Basketball in Singapore: Why 3x3 is Here to Stay, BlogPost 161033673012 The Active Lifestyler's Guide to the New ActiveSG Delta Sport Centre, BlogPost 161128356680 Grand New Champions Crowned at WTT Singapore Smash 2024, BlogPost 160844835218 NSG 2024 Table Tennis: C Div Boys Pool Round, BlogPost 160210745115 NSG 2024 Basketball: Senior Div Girls Tampines Primary School vs Frontier Primary School, BlogPost 159881180544 Whirlwind Return to Women's Football, BlogPost 159633541417 Singapore Smash to Elevate a New Legacy, BlogPost 158983580420 NSG 2024 Rugby: B Div Damai Secondary School vs Peirce Secondary School, BlogPost 159003960202 SFA Fiesta: Kicking off 2024 to a Roaring Start, BlogPost 158830735126 NSG 2024 Football: B Div Girls Preliminary Round Meridian Secondary School VS Bowen Secondary School, BlogPost 158536989718 Team Nila Volunteers Recognized At Awards Ceremony, BlogPost 158270107806 NSG 2024 Hockey: B Div Boys Preliminary Round Raffles Institution VS St. Hilda Secondary School, BlogPost 157966862615 NSG 2024 Floorball: B Division Preliminary Rounds Kick Off!, BlogPost 157562433712 What Is Safe Sport?, BlogPost 157559446197 Sengkang Secondary: Cultivating Well-Rounded Footballers, BlogPost 157368261167 New National Training Centre for Cricket at West Coast Ground, BlogPost 155340164987 Active Ageing with Joey Bonifacio, BlogPost 155930815517 Inaugural Singapore Youth League kicks off from 24th February 2024, BlogPost 155340164727 Bukit Canberra : the Coolest Spot in the North, BlogPost 155368905255 How Padang Fandi Inspired Ayden to Chase his Dream, BlogPost 154755572826 Ageing Backwards with Elizabeth Cheang, BlogPost 154094657315 Running For Fitness, BlogPost 153318636178 Excitement Builds for FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024, BlogPost 153198644247 World's Top Four Confirmed for 2024 HSBC Women's World Championship, BlogPost 149413941770 Cultivating Your Kids’ Interest in the Outdoors, BlogPost 149413941163 Making Sport More Appealing for Our Kids, BlogPost 149412549409 Solo Or Team Sport – Choosing the Best for Your Child, BlogPost 151197478798 Former Lions Stalwart Baihakki Khaizan Sheds Light on New Accreditation to Elevate Grassroots Football and Youth Development, BlogPost 80703591291 New Year, Fitter You! Here are the top 3 workouts for the New Year, BlogPost 81171151456 7 Reasons Why Sports are Great for Children’s Mental Health, BlogPost 80542065330 17 Best Yoga Classes & Studios in Singapore [+ Rating & Prices], BlogPost 149404351798 From Brush to Lens: A Student's Journey in the World of Art and Sports Photography, BlogPost 149402825063 The Benefits of Active Parenting, BlogPost 149397832009 Sweden Claim 9th Straight Gold at the Women's World Floorball Championship, BlogPost 149397831449 Lion City Sailors Win 2023 Singapore Cup, BlogPost 148511324266 Pitch Perfect with Jonathan Teo, BlogPost 148511724402 Seniors: Increase your flexibility bit by bit with these stretches]