Trinidad and Tobago to field sprint team at Youth Pan American Games

TRINIDAD AND Tobago’s silver medal performance in the men’s Team Sprint at the recently concluded Elite Pan American Track Cycling Championships has automatically qualified a sprint spot for the September 9-19 Youth Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia.

At the Championships in Lima, Peru, TT’s Njisane Phillip, Keron Bramble and Pan Am debutant Zion Pulido were unable to defend TT’s 2019 men’s Team Sprint title but still held on for a runners-up finish behind winners Colombia.

Endurance cyclists Akil Campbell and Alexi Costa also finished among the medals as the former captured TT’s first-ever Pan Am Championships endurance gold medal (Scratch Race) while the latter secured bronze in the women’s equivalent.

According to a statement issued by the TT Cycling Federation on Tuesday, “The participation for the country at this Championships was of utmost importance as it was used as the qualifying criteria for the upcoming Youth Pan American Games.

“Therefore, as a result of the Team Sprint team’s performance, TT has automatically qualified in the area of sprint.”

As outlined by Pan American Cycling Confederation president Jose Palaez, numerical quotas would be given to the respective Olympic Committees based on participation of athletes at the 2021 Elite Pan American Track Championships.

Additionally, qualifications to the Youth Games would be for athletes ranging in ages 18 to 22 years.

On the team’s recent performance in Peru, TT Cycling Federation president Rowena Williams was elated.

“Having had such a difficult period in cycling from 2020 to 2021 with the pandemic, it was really an outstanding performance by the entire team. Because they would have had challenges prepping themselves for training.

“They should all be commended for such an outstanding performance. The team sprint team’s silver medal performance allowed the country to qualify a sprint team for the upcoming Youth Pan American Games in November.

“That performance was really great to be able to go out, perform and secure that Youth Games qualification,” she said.