Cyclist Wallace motivated after World Track Champs debut

Trinidad and Tobago’s rising track cycling star Makaira Wallace described her first experience at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Santiago, Chile, as both inspiring and motivating, marking a significant milestone in her debut season as a senior rider.

Competing against the world’s best for the first time as an elite athlete, Wallace said her World Championships experience was unforgettable. Additionally, Wallace was the first female sprint cyclist from TT to qualify for a World Champs.

“Overall, my Worlds experience was great. Just even being in the building and witnessing it live is so different than seeing it on TV. TV does not do the speed justice,” she said.

Wallace competed in both the women’s sprint and keirin events. In the sprint, she advanced out of the opening qualification round before being eliminated by Japan’s Mina Sato, who went on to capture silver in the sprint and bronze in the keirin. Despite the tough draw, Wallace was proud of her showing.

“I was pretty happy that I qualified for the sprints. I got one round in and I got to race somebody (Sato) who ended up taking away two medals. That was great and I was really happy to get a ride against her,” she said.

The young sprinter, who only transitioned out of the junior ranks at the end of 2024, relished the opportunity to test herself against some of the sport’s top names. “Getting to see all of (the cyclists) who I look up to, warming up, doing what they have to do to get ready to race is really inspiring for me and I’m really motivated moving forward.”

Reflecting on her keirin campaign, Wallace noted that while she did not progress past the repechage, the experience provided valuable lessons.

“The keirin gave me a lot of good data as well. I rode a really great first round and then in the repechage, I made a little bit of a mistake. And as much as I was a little disappointed in the mistake, I gained a lot from it.”

The 20-year-old acknowledged that her transition from junior to elite racing has been mentally challenging. Wallace described it as a “big jump” and said she has to learn how to be patient with her progress and remind herself that the girls (at Worlds) have been doing this for a lot longer than she has.

“It’s not an excuse, but it takes time,” she reflected.

Wallace credited her support system for helping her navigate the challenges of her debut elite season.

“I know that I can get there and I know that I’m surrounded by the right people to do what I have to do,” she said.

The talented sprinter also expressed gratitude to the TT Olympic Committee, which recently awarded her an Olympic Solidarity scholarship to support her journey toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

“The Olympic Committee has been so helpful… they selected me for an Olympic scholarship… and so that will be a great help for me as I progress,” Wallace said.