Nicholas Paul shatters Pan Am sprint record to reach quarter-finals

Trinidad and Tobago's ace cyclist Nicholas Paul broke the Pan Am Games record in the men's sprint event at the 2023 edition of the games on Wednesday, as he clocked a rapid time of 9.574 seconds at the Velodromo Penalolen in Santiago, Chile to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Paul, the world record holder in the men's sprint event, stunned the 19-man field in the qualification round with his record-breaking ride. Canada's Nicholas Wammes (9.689 seconds) clocked the second-fastest time in qualification. Suriname rider Jair Tjon En Fa (9.703 seconds) had the third-best time. TT's Kwesi Browne clocked a time of 10.073 seconds which placed him 11th overall.

In the 1/8 finals, Paul sped past Mexican rider Terran Ruiz to clinch heat one and book his spot in the quarter-finals. In heat two of the 1/8 finals, Browne couldn't quite get past Wammes and also had an unfortunate crash on the track in his race against the Canadian cyclist. Browne dusted off himself and contested the second repechage heat, where he placed second behind Colombian cyclist Fontalvo Ortega.

The quarter-final races in the sprint event will cycle off from 5.05 pm on Wednesday. The semi-finals and final in the sprint will be contested on Thursday.