Nicholas Paul cops Carnival of Speed sprint crown

Ace cyclist Nicholas Paul sped to the men’s sprint crown when the curtain fell on this year’s UCI class-one Carnival of Speed event at the National Cycling Centre in Couva on June 21.

After capturing the keirin crown the night before, Paul capped off a scintillating performance when he defeated Marcus Hiley (Great Britain) in the sprint final.

TT sprinter Kwesi Browne held on to third place after he bettered Argentinian Lucas Oscar Vilar in the bronze-medal ride-off. Nick Wammes of Canada completed the top five finishers.

Meanwhile, TT endurance cyclist Akil Campbell settled for bronze in the men’s elimination race after he was beaten to the line by Chilean duo of Jacob Decar Zuniga and Diego Rojas Rivas, who won gold and silver respectively.

Similarly, US-based TT pro cyclist Alexi Ramirez pedalled to bronze in the women’s equivalent. Colombian Luciana Osorio Betancur claimed top honours while Chilean Scarlet Cortes Ugarte came in second.

Ramirez fared better in the scratch race as she held on to silver. Betancur was in winner’s row once more while Ugarte placed third this time around.

In the men scratch, TT’s Jadian Neaves grabbed bronze on the final day, with Venezuelan Clever Moros riding to gold and Great Britain’s Calum Moir pedalling to silver. TT’s Campbell was fifth and Tariq Woods sixth in this event.

And in the women’s sprint, Great Britain’s Iona Moir and Rhian Edmunds took first and second respectively, with Colombia’s Luna Bula completing the top three. TT’s Phoebe Sandy and Makaira Wallace were seventh and eighth respectively.