Cyclist Nicholas Paul to lead Trinidad and Tobago at CAC games

CYCLIST Nicholas Paul will be one of TT’s medal prospects at the 24th Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) being held in El Salvador and Dominican Republic from June23-July 8.

A massive team of 179 athletes will represent Trinidad and Tobago at the games in several sports. The games will take place across two countries, with El Salvador being the host for the majority of sports and the Dominican Republic hosting the remainder.

TT will be one of 37 countries participating in 21 sports at the games.

TT Olympic Committee secretary general Annette Knott will travel as chef de mission, as the experienced TTOC senior administrative officer and chef de mission Lovie Santana-Duke was unable to travel to El Salvador.

Knott will be supported by two assistant chefs de mission, owing to the size of the delegation. Ronda Clarke, a member of the TT Beach Handball Association, will be based in San Salvador, El Salvador. The other assistant chef de mission, Avion Ashton, a former national hockey athlete, will be based in Santo Domingo.

TTOC president Diane Henderson expressed her gratitude to Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe and her team at the ministry for the financial support that ensured TT's participation at the games.

“CAC Games success in certain sports will qualify athletes in those sports for the upcoming Pan Am Games in Chile,” said Henderson.

Some of team TT’s top athletes will include Paul, 200m runner Jereem Richards, javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott and swimmer Dylan Carter.

Paul is coming off a stellar effort at the recent Elite Pan American Track Cycling Championships in Argentina, where he won three medals.

The size of the delegation demonstrates the full return to sport after the covid19 pandemic.

TT will participate in archery, athletics, badminton, 3x3 basketball, boxing, beach soccer, beach volleyball, canoe, chess, cycling, golf, gymnastics, hockey, judo, netball, rugby, swimming, taekwondo and water polo.

Eight teams, including five women’s teams, will fly the red, white and black flag – hockey, volleyball, beach volleyball, netball and rugby.