Foodpanda delivery rider breaks nat’l sprint record

TAGAYTAY CITY — With a P2,500 Brian bike frame to his name, Zedrick Ivan Honorica pulled off a shocker as he set a new national record in the men’s elite sprint in the Asian Track Cycling Championships.

The 21-year-old cyclist, who worked as a Foodpanda delivery rider, clocked in 10.865 seconds as he erased the previous record of 11.4 second by Jan Paul Morales in the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.

“I race in ‘bente-bente, nothing more. I wasn’t aware of the national record, but I know Kuya JPM (Morales), him being a champion … he doesn’t know me, though,” Honorica said.

The effort landed him at 21st out of 22 riders in the event won by Kaiya Ota of Japan in 9.348 seconds, also shaving a fraction from his previous best of 9.350.

Still, it was a job well done for the Pamantasan ng Lungson ng Marikina student considering most of his competitors have their bikes costing as high as P7 billion.

“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,” Honorica said.

“If I’m given the chance to stay in the national team, with the support and better equipment, I know I can still improve.”