Nicholas Paul pedals his way to 2nd gold at UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup

NICHOLAS Paul continued to write history on Saturday night, adding a second gold medal at the 2021 UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup, in Cali, Colombia, to his impressive trophy cabinet, with a victory in the men’s keirin final.

Just 24 hours before, the 22-year-old sealed the gold medal in the men’s one-kilometre time-trial, before Akil Campbell’s added to the team’s dream run with a gold in the men’s elimination in the final race on Friday night. The three gold medals now see team TTO on an unprecedented lead in the overall standings.

Paul clocked 10.452 seconds in Saturday night’s keirin final, just hours after he set the tone for another outstanding outing with a blistering effort of 10.105 seconds in the first round, which was the fastest time of the four heats.

With very little time to rest, Paul carried over his form from the night before into Saturday morning, easing out of the men's keirin first round in 10.105 seconds, the fastest time of the four heats, obliterating the competition.

The day before. Paul similarly dominated the competition in the men's one-kilometre time trial being the only rider to dip under the one-minute mark in both the qualifiers and final, en route to his first gold medal.

He closed in 59.378 seconds to win his first Nations Cup gold. Earlier in the day, he set the tempo with an incredible effort of 59.378 seconds in the first round.

Not to be outdone, Campbell made it two wins in two finals for TT as he lined up in the men's elimination race and the final event on Friday night.

Campbell defied the odds as he recovered after coming in contact with a rider and falling, before knocking off third place finisher Cristian Arriagada Pizzaro of Chie and the runner-up Kenny de Ketele of Belgium.

Meanwhile, Keron Bramble also represented TTO in the first round and finished third in his heat, behind the two automatic second-round qualifiers. He placed third again in the first round repechage and did not qualify for the second round.

On Sunday, Paul, together with Quincy Alexander, will line up in the first round of the sprint, while Campbell will return for the men's omnium.