Akil Campbell grabs scratch race Pan Am bronze

MEN'S endurance cyclist Akil Campbell grabbed TT's first medal at the 2024 Pan American Track Cycling Championships at the Velo Sports Centre in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday night.

Campbell was third in the 13-man field of cyclists in the men's scratch race final. Winning gold in the 60-lap/15K event was Mexican Gabriel Fernando Nava Romo and taking silver was Cristian Arriagada Pizarro of Chile.

In the women's scratch race, TT cyclist Alexi Ramirez finished eighth in the 11-woman field of cyclists, contested over 10K.

Also on Wednesday, the TT trio of Zion Pulido, Quincy Alexander and Kwesi Browne got eliminated in round one of the men's sprint competition. Competing in heat three against Colombia, TT finished in 47.437 seconds, behind the Colombians who stopped the clock in 43.750 to qualify for the gold medal ride against Canada.

Colombia were represented by Dario Ruben Murillo Minota, Kevin Santiago Quintero Chavarro and Santiago Ramirez Morales.

Yesterday, TT's Makaira Wallace advanced past the qualifying round of the women's sprint individual event. Wallace, who needed to finish in the top 16 to progress, was 13th in 11.482 seconds. Fellow TT cyclist Phoebe Sandy just missed out on qualification as she was 17th in 11.676. In the round of 16 (1/8 final), Wallace lost to Canadian Sarah Orban in heat four and did not advance to the quarterfinals.

TT were represented in the men's keirin by sprint world record holder Nicholas Paul and Kwesi Browne. Paul advanced past round one after finishing second in heat three behind Colombian Cristian David Ortega Fontalvo. The top two in each of the three heats progressed automatically to the next round. Each heat had seven cyclists.

Browne was third in heat two behind Canadian James Hedgcock and Mexican Edgar Ismael Verdufo Osuna. As a result of not finishing in the top two, Browne had to ride in the repechage in what was his final chance to progress. He delivered, winning heat two. The top two finishers in each of the three repechage heats qualified for the semi-finals.

After press time on Thursday, Paul faced the starter in heat one of the semifinals and Browne was scheduled to ride in heat two. The first three finishers in each heat advanced to the final, while the other cyclists progressed to the race which determines seventh to 12th place rankings.