Tagaytay: Patrick Gerard Lee pocketed bronze in the men's C5 scratch race of para cycling Sunday, giving the Philippines its first medal in the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track and Para Track Cycling Championships at Tagaytay CT Velodrome in Cavite. Uzbekistan's Azimbek Abdullaev won and Japan's Ruito Kameda got the silver. Another Filipino, Joel Inn Tacutaco, was fifth in the 14-rider race.

According to Philippines News Agency, Patrick Gerard Lee, a 21-year-old amputee who lost his right forearm from under the elbow in a meat grinder accident when he was five, expressed his dedication during the race. "I pushed and pushed myself. It was a very tough race," Lee said. "I'm really very happy because it's for our country." Lee is set to compete again on Tuesday, the last day of the championships supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee.

Earlier in the championships, food delivery rider Zedrick Ivan Honorica set a new Philippine mark in the men's elite sprint event. He broke the record set by fellow Marike±o and many-time tour champion Jan Paul Morales at the 2006 Doha Asian Games. Honorica clocked 10.865 seconds, surpassing Morales' 11.42 seconds. He achieved this using a bike with a frame that costs just PHP2,500 and a wheel set worth PHP12,000.

Honorica ranked 21st out of 22 riders in the event, which was won by Japan's Kaiya Ota in 9.348 seconds, who also improved his previous best of 9.350. Honorica, 21, described himself as an "accidental" member of the national team, having joined after seeing a Facebook post by national coach Gil Virgilio Espirutu regarding an invitation for a power test. "I saw a post on Facebook by national coach Gil [Virgilio Espirutu) on an invitation for a power test [informal tryouts] and I was second best . that was only last January," he explained.

Honorica admitted he wasn't aware of the national record he broke. "I know Kuya (brother) JPM [Morales], him being a champion. He doesn't know me, though," Honorica remarked.