Nicholas Paul, Makaira Wallace crowned cycling's 2024 MVPs

SPRINTERS Nicholas Paul and Makaira Wallace copped the TT Cycling Federation (TTCF) 2024 Most Outstanding International Cyclist awards at the fraternity’s annual prize distribution on November 30.

At the National Cycling Centre in Balmain, Couva, Wallace was all smiles when she received cycling’s most prestigious individual award while Switzerland-based Paul was absent owing to his participation at the ongoing UCI Track Champions League.

In her final year as a junior cyclist in 2024, Wallace proved a cut above the rest when she rode to two silvers (500m time trial and sprint) and keirin bronze at the Pan Am Junior Champs, and two more silvers at the Junior World Track Cycling Championships in China in August.

At Worlds, she pedaled into the local history books for posting a new women’s open and junior women’s national record in the sprint. There, Wallace also set a new national 500m time trial record.

She also earned the junior women’s award.

Wallace enters the senior women’s category for the 2025 season and has been putting in early work, having recently returned from an intense six-week training camp in Colombia alongside JLD Cycling Academy coach and two-time Olympian Njisane Phillip.

Paul also had an active year of competition despite missing a podium spot at the Paris Games. He finished fourth in the sprints at the World Champs in Belgium and was 11th at the Olympics.

Paul is currently ranked fourth at the ongoing Champions League, which resumes with the final two legs at Lee Valley Velopark in London, England, on December 6 and 7.

Receiving awards for record-breaking and breakout performances were TT’s Junior Pan Am team sprint silver medal trio of Danell James, Jelani Nedd and Syndel Samaroo and Jadian Neaves, for his two bronze medals (points race and omnium) at the same meet.

The elite men and women’s categories were captured by PSL siblings Akil and Teniel Campbell, with the women’s crown shared with Phoebe Sandy (Madonna Wheelers). Akil also won the President’s Cup award while Madonna was adjudged most outstanding club.

Other Awardees

Men

Tinymites – Liam Lovell (Madonna)

Juveniles – Kafele Desormeaux (Arima Wheelers)

Junior – Jadian Neaves (Raiders)

U23 – Tariq Woods (Evolution)

Masters 40-49 – Sheldon Ramjit (Hummingbird)

Masters 50-59 – Rocky Hosein (Hummingbird)

Masters 60-69 – Cyril Fook (Valkyries)

Masters 70+ - Robert Farrell (Evolution)

Women

Tinymites – Rayann Sheppard (Rigtech)

Juvenile – Kylee Young (Madonna)

U23 Women – Alexia Wilson (Arima Wheelers)

Youth Development

U7 Girls – Salome Bayley (Madonna)

U7 Boys – Orion Dandrade (Madonna)

U9 Girls – Abigail Titte (Rigtech) and Leah Mitchell (Madonna) – Joint Winners

U9 Boys – Tyler Titte (Rigtech)

U11 Girls – Anna-Lee Titte (Rigtech)

U11 Boys – Taariq Guevara (Vapor Wake)

U13 Girls – Melina Lopez (Unattached)

U13 Boys – Elisha Greene Jr (Unattched)

Outstanding Contribution to the Sport of Cycling - Ian Atherly, Ronald Peters, Michael Phillips, Carl Williams (posthumous), Ronald Dickie (posthumous)