The 20-year-old Kenneth San Andres, who started racing when he was 12, won his last three races and crowned himself king of the first Evelio Javier International Motocross Championship in Valderrama in the Philippines on Sunday. San Andres was all over his chief rival, Khaliunbold Erdenebileg of Mongolia, in all four races they took part in.

He said it wasn’t easy. “It was tough to beat Khaliunbold,” San Andres said of his 21-year-old rival, a traffic policeman in Mongolia, and winner of the first leg of the FIM Asian Motocross Series last February in Puerto Princesa, Palawan where San Andres was fourth. “But I gave it my best and my hard work paid off. He raced with a slight disadvantage but he still put up a tough fight,” said San Andres, who knew Khaliunbold was hurting on his wrists and left knee, because of a crash in Thailand two weeks ago.

Khaliunbold was gracious in defeat, saying San Andres deserved the victory because he’s truly a great rider. But given enough time to recover, the friendly Mongolian ace will definitely give San Andres a big run for his money in the next race.