Tag: Los Angeles

Six Trinidad and Tobago athletes receive Olympic scholarships

THE Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) has awarded Olympic scholarships to six national athletes as they prepare for the 2028 Olympic Games, scheduled for Los Angeles.

The scholarships were given to athletes who have the potential to qualify for the Olympics and compete at a high level.

Five of the six athletes receiving scholarships have already represented TT at the Olympic Games between 2016 and 2024, including cyclists Nicholas Paul and Teneil Campbell; track athletes Jereem Richards and Leah Bertrand; and swimmer Dylan Carter. “Notably, two of them are receiving Olympic Solidarity Scholarship support for the first time,” a TTOC media release said.

The other recipient is rising cycling star Makaira Wallace, who is now transitioning from junior to senior level.

Funded entirely by the International Olympic Committee through Olympic Solidarity, the programme – established in 1992 for the Barcelona Olympic Games – provides high-potential athletes from across the globe with financial support to access world-class coaching, competition exposure and elite training environments. The funding will also assist athletes with travel to qualification events, medical and sport science services and accommodation.

TTOC president Diane Henderson said, “These scholarships reflect our commitment to creating the strongest possible pathway for Team TTO athletes on their journey to the Olympic Games. We remain steadfast in our mission to support athletes holistically – on and off the field of play – so they can train, compete and excel at the highest levels.

“This cohort represents exceptional talent and determination, and we are confident they will continue to inspire TT on the road to Los Angeles 2028.”

It was a collaborative exercise in picking the athletes. The TTOC release said, “The selection of scholarship recipients was completed in close consultation with their respective national sporting organisations to ensure alignment with Olympic Solidarity criteria and to prioritise athletes demonstrating the highest performance potential and commitment to excellence.

Scholarship recipient Leah Bertrand expressed her gratitude, saying, “Being awarded the Olympic Scholarship is a tremendous honour and an important milestone in my journey toward Olympic qualification. As a first-time recipient, it means so much to receive this level of support. It not only eases the financial burden of elite preparation, but motivates me to continue pushing toward representing TT at the Olympic Games.”

Over the years, Olympic Solidarity scholarships have benefitted numerous TT athletes, including Machel Cedenio, Deon Lendore, Michelle-Lee Ahye, Jarrin Solomon, Nigel Paul, Michael Alexander, Njisane Phillip, George Bovell III, among others. Many of these athletes went on to qualify for, excel and medal on the world’s most competitive stages.

“The TTOC extends a heartfelt congratulations to all six scholarship recipients and wishes them continued success as they prepare for Los Angeles 2028.”

American inferno

SCORES of people dead or missing, thousands of properties destroyed, widespread looting, a state of emergency – this is not a description of the latest post-apocalyptic Hollywood movie. This is the reality in Los Angeles, America’s most populous county and one of its most affluent, where wildfires have been raging since January 7. It is a powerful reminder that even mighty nations must bow to climate change.

A combination of notable factors set the stage for the inferno. A strong high-pressure system meant Santa Ana winds reached hurricane-like speeds. The near-drought conditions produced the perfect tinderbox. Once sparked, the first flames grew from 20 acres to 200 acres in minutes.

While US investigators probe whether an earlier fire on January 1, due to human factors like fireworks use, might have also played a role, these two background factors have undoubtedly impeded all efforts to douse the flames. The message is obvious.

Early estimates put the fire’s cost at US$150 billion; extreme weather comes with extreme consequences. These consequences are a tale of fire and ice: elsewhere, Arctic blasts have been bringing sub-freezing temperatures in other states.

But there are further lessons.

Spreading as fast as the flames is disinformation. In a playbook the world is now very familiar with, lie after lie after lie has been told by Republican officials for political gain. These officials have made no effort to reckon with climate change.

Instead, it has been falsely claimed that water reservoirs were low, that looting is no longer a criminal offence, and that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies are to blame for everything. Ironically, Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement that Facebook would no longer be fact-checking came on the same day the fires started. Elon Musk has amplified untruths on his platform, X.

What Donald Trump, 78, has done so far in response to the emergency is a glimpse of what he is likely to do once he assumes the White House: play politics, traffic in lies until enough US voters believe him and distract from the real issues.

Already Mr Trump, who is busy feuding with US allies who have been helping the fire response like Canada and Mexico, has hinted he might withhold aid to California, a heavily Democratic state, once in power. There is precedent for this. In his first term, he issued similar broadsides when it came to covid19 and other types of emergency relief.

On climate change, Mr Trump has vowed to reverse Joe Biden’s recent ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling. He came to power pledging to “drill, baby, drill.”

But with 2024 ending as the hottest on record and with California being transformed beyond imagining, Mr Trump may well have said “burn, baby, burn.”

Jereem Richards announced for 2025 Grand Slam Track roster

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s Paris Olympics men’s 400m fourth place finisher Jereem “The Dream” Richards joins an elite list of track athletes for the Grand Slam Track roster in 2025.

Richards and American men’s 110m Olympic silver medallist Daniel Roberts were confirmed as the league’s latest additions on October 22.

Richards’ inclusion now sees the top four Paris Olympic men’s 400m finishers confirmed to feature at the inaugural event, which runs off with the first season from April to September 2025, in Los Angeles.

The medal receivers in Paris were American winner Quincy Hall (43.40s), Great Britain’s silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith (43.44s) and Zambian bronze receiver Muzala Samukonga (43.74s). The talented trio edged Richards (43.78s) out of medal contention at the Games.

Speaking to FloTrack after his confirmation, Richards said that every race is a chance to tell a story about where he’s come from, and where he’s going.

“Grand Slam Track is the perfect platform for that. It’s not just about winning; it’s about showing the world my journey, one race at a time. I’m proud to represent TT in Grand Slam Track and eager to show the world what I’ve got.”

Other standout athletes expected to feature are American Grant Fisher, who earned Olympic bronze in the 10,000m, and Kenyan Ronald Kewomi, Olympic silver medalist in the 5,000m.

Additionally, American middle distance runner Nikki Hiltz, who raced to silver at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in the women’s 1,500m.

Two of the US top sprinters including Olympic men’s 100m bronze medalist Fred Kerley and men’s 200m silver medalist Kenny Bednarek are also on the roster.

Grand Slam Track, created by four-time US Olympic gold medalist Johnson, will feature four track events – AKA Slams – in 2025 where signed racers and challengers will compete head-to-head in two events over the two-day Slams.

It is expected to feature 96 athletes – 48 racers and 48 challengers. Grand Slam has a reported prize pot of US$12.6 million and the category winners of Slam will win $100,000.

Nicholas Paul into sprint semis at Pan Am cycling

ACE Trinidad and Tobago cyclist Nicholas Paul was still in contention for a medal in the men’s individual sprint up to press time last night at the 2024 Pan American Track Cycling Championships at the Velo Sports Centre in Los Angeles, California.

Paul, who won keirin gold on the night of April 4, continued to show his class. The world record holder in the sprint event, defeated Canadian Ryan Dodyk in heat one in two straight rides in the best out of three quarterfinal.

Jair Tjon En Fa of Suriname, who trains with Paul, won heat three in two rides over Colombian Kevin Santiago Quintero Chavarro to advance. Santiago Morales Ramirez of Colombia won heat four over Canadian Nick Wammes, also in two consecutive rides.

Another Colombian Cristian David Ortega Fontalvo competed in heat two against Canadian Tyler Rorke.

Fontalvo was made to work for the win, getting past Rorke in two of the three races to progress.

Paul was scheduled to face Ramirez in the first semi-final last night and En Fa battled against Fontalvo.

TT endurance cyclist Akil Campbell, who earned bronze in the men’s scratch race on April 4, started competing in the multiple race men’s omnium event.

In the 10K scratch race, Campbell was fifth among the 12 cyclists. In the second race of the omnium – the tempo race – Campbell was third. Canadian Chris Ernst and American Colby Lange were first and second respectively.

Last night, Campbell was carded to ride in the points race and the elimination race as the omnium continued.

In the women’s 500-metre time trial, the TT pair of Makaira Wallace and Phoebe Sandy did not advance past the qualification round.

Wallace finished ninth in 35.946 seconds and Sandy was 11th in 36.545. The top eight cyclists in the 14-woman field advanced. Colombian Martha Bayona Pineda had the fastest time among the qualifiers with a time of 33.832.

TT endurance rider Alexi Ramirez finished eighth in the women’s omnium, which included 11 cyclists. American Jennifer Valente won gold.

Paul blazes into Pan Am sprint quarters, eyes 2nd medal

FRESH from capturing gold in the men’s keirin event at the 2024 Pan American Track Cycling Championships in Los Angeles, California on Thursday night, TT premier cyclist Nicholas Paul pedalled his way into the 1/4 finals in his pet sprint event in Friday’s morning session.

In the 1/8 finals, the newly minted Pan Am keirin champion faced off with Argentina’s Juan Rodriguez in the first heat and he showed his mettle to leave the South American cyclist in his wake to progress to the 1/4 finals.

Paul’s teammate Kwesi Browne, who notched a bronze medal in the keirin final, lost to Canada’s Tyler Rorke in the seventh 1/8 finals ride. The TT cyclist was also warned for dangerous riding during the race.

Earlier in the session, Paul, the 2023 Pan Am Games gold medallist, blazed the 27-man field when he advanced from the sprint qualifying races with a blistering 9.588-seconds ride to notch the fastest time heading into the 1/8 finals.

Browne (10.074 seconds) had advanced to the 1/8 finals with the tenth-best time, while TT’s other sprint cyclist Quincy Alexander (10.632 seconds) finished 22nd overall and didn’t advance to the 1/8 finals.

Paul will contest the sprint 1/4 finals in Saturday’s morning session, while the semifinals and final will cycle off in Saturday’s evening session.

Paul takes Pan Am keirin gold, Browne grabs bronze

ACE Trinidad and Tobago cyclist Nicholas Paul earned his country’s first gold medal at the 2024 Pan American Track Cycling Championships at the Velo Sports Centre in Los Angeles, California on April 4, competing in the men’s keirin event.

On April 3, Trinidad and Tobago got their first medal of the games when endurance rider Akil Campbell grabbed bronze medal in the men’s scratch final.

Campbell’s compatriots added to Trinidad and Tobago’s medal tally on the following day of competition as Paul topped the six-man keirin field, with fellow TT cyclist Kwesi Browne notching third spot to secure his team’s third medal at the games.

Paul took a tactical approach as he started from the back of the pack, before using his world-record sprint speed to power past the field to claim gold. Colombian and reigning world keirin champ Kevin Quintero took the silver medal, while his countryman David Ortega was just pipped to a podium finish by Browne.

In the women’s elimination race final on April 4, TT’s Alexi Ramirez finished eighth, with USA’s Jennifer Valente taking the gold medal. Colombia’s Juliana Londono and Mexico’s Yareli Acevedo placed second and third respectively.

In the women’s sprint event, 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games medallist Makaira Wallace advanced to the 1/8 finals and ended the competition in 13th place, while Phoebe Sandy narrowly missed out on a spot in the 1/8 finals and finished 17th overall.

In the early session on April 5, Tariq Woods will take to the track in men’s pursuit qualifying, Ramirez will contest the women’s scratch omnium and the trio of Browne, Paul and Quincy will face the starter in men’s sprint qualifying.

Nicholas Paul leads Trinidad and Tobago at Pan Am Track Champs

Ace cyclist Nicholas Paul will lead a nine-member TT team into the Pan American Track Cycling Championships in Los Angeles, California from April 3-7.

On March 17, Paul cycled his way to the men’s sprint bronze at the Tissot/International Cycling Union (UCI) Track Nations Cup in Hong Kong, China.

The previous day, Paul crashed out of the semifinals of the keirin event at the meet after being involved in a nasty collision with Malaysian cyclist Jai Angsuthasawit.

Paul, the 2023 First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportsman of the Year, will be expected to spearhead TT ’s medal charge in California.

He will have good support in the TT contingent, with Quincy Alexander, Kwesi Browne, Akil Campbell, Zion Pulido, Alexi Costa-Ramirez, Pheobe Sandy, Tariq Woods and 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games medallist Makaira Wallace all set to stake their claims for podium finishes.

Wallace was one of many TT athletes who impressed at the 2024 Easter International Grand Prix from March 29-31, and she lit up the competition on the final day of action at the National Cycling Centre in Couva with a record ride in the women’s junior and elite sprint event when she beat Jamaican cyclist Dahlia Palmer and former record-holder Sandy to the line.

Wallace registered a time of 11.396 seconds to take the top spot. Alexander, Browne and Paul will lead TT ’s charge in both the men’s sprint and keirin events, while Pulido will join the aforementioned trio in the team sprint event.

Sandy and Wallace will once again put their speed to the test when they contest the women’s sprint event.

Campbell and Costa-Ramirez will gauge their endurance levels when they line up in their elimination, omnium and scratch events for men and women.

Woods will also feature in the men’s scratch event, to go along with the individual pursuit race.

The Pan Am Track Champs is the second of three Olympic qualifiers following the Nations Cup in Hong Kong.

The Nations Cup in Milton, Canada (April 12-14) will follow closely on the heels of the meet in California and will serve as the final Olympic qualifier.

Tiger injured in car crash, freed by jaws of life

GOLFER Tiger Woods is in hospital after a single-car accident in Los Angeles, on Tuesday.

According to reports, the vehicle was badly damaged and Woods had to be removed by the jaws of life. Woods was in the area for his annual Genesis Invitational Golf tournament which ended Sunday.

The severity of his injuries has not been confirmed. In 2009, Woods was also involved in a car accident near his home in Florida where he struck a fire hydrant and a tree.