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MANILA, Philippines -- The spotlight will be on former Asian junior champion Patrick Coo as the PhilCycling holds the National Championships for BMX Racing and Freestyle in Tagaytay City this weekend.

The Tagaytay City BMX Racing Track will be finally put to use for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic halted virtually all sports activity since early 2020.

"Finally, the BMX track will be of full use," said Philippine Olympic Committee and PhilCycling president Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino. "And this national championships will draw the best out of our BMX aspirants on a world-class track."

The Tagaytay City BMX Racing Track, which follows the standard of the International Cycling Union, was one of the venues in the 30th Southeast Asian Games that the country hosted in December 2019.

The pandemic stunted the cycling discipline's development in the next two years, however.

The track now has a roof -- a first in Southeast Asia -- and close to 50 aspiring BMX athletes will compete in the two-day championships presented by Tagaytay City, as well as the Eighth District and Province of Cavite.

Action kicks off on Saturday, July 16, with BMX Racing at the track and winds up on Sunday with the Freestyle, Park and Flatland contests at the Tagaytay City Skate Bowl.

Competitions will be in the Men and Women Elite, Under 23 and Junior categories.