Cyclist Nicholas Paul advances to Worlds keirin final

NATIONAL cyclist Nicholas Paul advanced to the 2021 Track Cycling World Championships men’s keirin final after producing a commanding display in the opening qualification rounds on Thursday morning.

In the opening heat, Paul topped the field of six cyclists in 10.02 seconds to affirm a spot in the second round. Placing second and also advancing from this heat was Paul’s World Cycling Centre training partner Jair Tjon En Fa from Suriname.

Into the second round, Paul placed second in heat one behind winner and two-time Olympic gold medallist Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands) to affirm a spot in the medal race.

The flying 200m world record holder chases his first World Championships medal against a tough field which consists of Lavreysen and his countryman Jeffrey Hoogland, who also is a double-Olympic medallist.

Also among those in the men’s 1-6 final are Frenchman Ryan Helal, Japanese Kento Yamasaki and Russian Cycling Federation’s Mikhail Iakovlev.

The final pedals off at 2:33pm (TT time) on Thursday.

Additionally, endurance cyclist Akil Campbell makes his World Championships debut in the men’s scratch race from 1:48pm.