Akil Campbell sizzles again at Easter Grand Prix

Trinidad and Tobago endurance cyclist Akil Campbell continued his stellar performance at the Easter Cycling Grand Prix, on day two at Skinner Park, San Fernando, on Saturday. Campbell won the UCI (International Cycling Union) points race ahead of Barbadian Edwin Sutherland and TT junior cyclist Liam Trepte.

In the UCI elimination men’s event, TT’s Adam Alexander won gold, Campbell had to settle for sliver on this occasion and experienced Barbadian cyclist Jamol Eastmond bagged bronze.

In the UCI women’s elimination race, Ana Casetta of Brazil snatched first place. Ramirez was second and Brazilian Giselle Gasparotto rounded off the top three.

In an eight-lap event for international men, Campbell won another gold medal finishing ahead of Eastmond and Luis Bareera of Peru.

Jamaican Dahlia Palmer of local club Team Drive Phase Sport and Brazilian Flavio Cipriano won the keirin events.

Palmer, who has been competing regularly in TT for years, won the elite women’s keirin ahead of Tachana Dalger of Suriname and the TT pair of Alexi Ramirez and Adrianna Seyjagat.

In the elite men’s final, Cipriano won ahead of his compatriot Joao Da Silva. TT rider Quincy Alexander of Team PSL was third and TT cyclist Zion Pulido was fourth.

There were a number of UCI-sanctioned events on the night including the scratch events. In the elite and international women’s scratch race, Brazilian Welldya Rodrigues took gold, Mexican Maria Gonzalez grabbed silver and Ramirez took bronze. In the men’s event, TT cyclist Tariq Woods copped gold ahead of Jamaican Andrew Ramsey, and Barrera ended third.

The Easter Grand Prix ended on Sunday when the action shifted to the National Cycling Centre in Balmain, Couva.