PAUL...my overall ambition is always to put my best foot forward, striving to get in the top spot for my country.
Trinidad and Tobago’s cycling star Nicholas Paul is looking to capitalize on his promising start to the 2024 UCI Track Champions League as he heads into the second and third rounds in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, starting Friday.
Paul showcased his sprinting prowess in the opening round held in Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, France, finishing third in the men’s sprint and fifth in the keirin.
Competing against the world’s best, including Australian champion Matthew Richardson and Dutch world record holder Harrie Lavreysen, Paul has positioned himself third in the overall standings after round one—a foundation he’s eager to build on.
“It’s a League with five rounds. Finishing third in the overall standings after the first round is definitely a great start where I can build from. I am very comfortable going into the second and third rounds. My goal is to keep putting out better performances every round, one round at a time,” Paul told SportsMax.TV.
The 26-year-old’s third-place finish in the sprint event came against fierce competition as Richardson took top honours, while Lavreysen, the reigning Olympic champion and flying 200m world record holder had to settle for second.
Paul’s tactical sharpness and raw speed ensured he stayed in the mix, ahead of the likes of Colombia’s Cristian Ortega and Richardson’s compatriot Leigh Hoffman.
In the keirin, Paul faced another tough field, securing fifth place behind Richardson, Lavreysen, Colombia’s Kevin Quintero, and Ortega.
That race demonstrated the unpredictable nature of keirin cycling, but Paul remains determined to refine his tactics as the League progresses. In fact, beyond the individual prestige that improved performances bring in his career, the soft-spoken cyclist views it as an opportunity to showcase the quality and talent that Trinidad and Tobago is known for on the world stage.
“Racing doesn’t always go as planned. However, looking forward, there are a few areas I will pay more attention to tactically as I go through each round because my overall ambition is always to put my best foot forward, striving to get in the top spot for my country,” he noted.
Paul now turns his attention to the velodrome in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, where rounds two and three will be held on consecutive days. The League format remains consistent, with sprinters like Paul competing in the sprint and keirin events, accumulating points across all five rounds.
The UCI Track Champions League features 72 elite riders—18 in each category (men’s and women’s sprint and endurance)—vying for points to determine the champions. With one round completed in France, rounds two and three will unfold in Apeldoorn, while London is set to host rounds four and five, ensuring high-stakes racing at every stage.
For Paul, who has won numerous medals at the World Championships, Pan American Championships, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, this season represents a chance to further cement his status as one of the sport’s brightest stars.
“I am pleased with all I have been able to accomplish so far, but there are always more targets to aim at and more goals to achieve. So it’s all a work in progress, my plan is to build on this performance and to do so, I intend to keep putting in those hard hours to keep getting stronger and faster,” the two-time Olympian stated.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Uncapped Webster called up for Australia's second India Test
Australia have called up all-rounder Beau Webster for their second Test against India in Adelaide.
The 30-year-old is currently uncapped and will cover for Mitchell Marsh who is a doubt following injury concerns after Australia were defeated by 295 runs in their first Test in Perth.
Webster won Player of the Year in last season’s Sheffield Shield as he scored 938 runs, averaging 58.62 for Tasmania.
He also showed his capabilities as an all-rounder for Australia A against India in two matches preceding this Test series. He hit 145 runs across the two matches and racked up a six-wicket haul in the second match.
Tasmania captain Jordan Silk was complimentary of his team-mates' abilities.
"He's a special player at the moment. Any time we're in trouble, I feel like I can throw him the ball and he just seems to be able to create something. Any time we're in similar trouble with the bat then he's able to dig us out of it,” he said.
"He's basically playing as our third seamer and top-six batter, which is a pretty good luxury to have in our side.
"He'd probably say it was one of the best career moves of all time to give up his dirty offies and go to seam bowling because it's now looking like it could open many more doors for him."
He demonstrated such quality this week, scoring 61 and 49 for Tasmania and taking five wickets with the ball against New South Wales.
Australia squad for second Test v India:
Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Beau Webster.
Athanaze, Greaves, Louis lead Windies rise in Test rankings
West Indies’ emphatic 201-run triumph over Bangladesh in the first Test in Antigua has not only bolstered team morale but also catapulted several players up the ICC Test rankings.
The performance, though not the most polished, was a statement of intent that showcased a balanced team effort spearheaded by emerging stars and seasoned campaigners alike.
Alick Athanaze, one of the shining lights of the victory, has climbed 18 places to 62nd in the batting rankings after his crucial knocks of 90 and 42. The 25-year-old’s maturity under pressure has been a revelation, solidifying his status as one of the brightest prospects in West Indies cricket.
Justin Greaves (up 43 places to 81st) and Mikyle Louis (up 25 places to joint-86th) also made significant gains, highlighting the depth and promise in the West Indies’ batting ranks.
The Caribbean fast-bowling trio of Jayden Seales, Kemar Roach, and Alzarri Joseph has reaped the rewards for a disciplined and hostile display in Antigua. Seales, who led the attack with precision, has moved up three places to a career-best 11th in the ICC Test Bowling Rankings.
Roach’s masterclass of swing and seam bowling, coupled with his ability to dismantle top-order batters, has pushed him four spots to 17th. Meanwhile, the fiery Alzarri Joseph has climbed three places to 29th, reflecting his growing reputation as a strike bowler capable of rattling opposition line-ups.
Bangladesh’s Taskin Ahmed stood out with a six-wicket haul, 6-64, in the second innings, lifting him from 67th to 51st in the bowling rankings, while Litton Das and Mominul Haque have inched up a slot each to 32nd and 47th positions in the batting rankings.
Meanwhile, India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has regained the top spot in the men’s Test bowling rankings after leading his team to a resounding 295-run victory over Australia in the first match of their ICC World Test Championship series in Perth.
Bumrah’s hauls of five for 30 and three for 42 have helped him overtake Josh Hazlewood and Kagiso Rabada and reach a career-best 883 rating points, the highest rating points tally ever by an India seam bowler. Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (904) and Ravindra Jadeja (899) are the only bowlers from India to record higher points tallies.
This is the third time that Bumrah has been top of the rankings this year. He was top ranked for two one-month stretches each starting in February and October.
India’s huge victory in the first of five Tests is reflected in gains for several other players including centurions Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli.
Opener Jaiswal has overtaken Harry Brook and Kane Williamson to reach a career-best second position after top-scoring in Perth with 161 in the second innings, while Kohli’s unbeaten 100 has lifted him nine spots to 13th position after being outside the top 20 batters for the first time in 10 years.
KL Rahul has advanced from 60th to 49th position and Nitish Kumar Reddy has entered the batting rankings in 74th position, while Mohammad Siraj has moved up three spots to 25th position in the bowling rankings.
Australian Travis Head is back in the top 10 after notching a fighting 89 in the second innings while Alex Carey (up one place to 39th among batters) and Mitchell Marsh (up 10 places to 68th among bowlers) are among others to progress after their performances in Perth. Steve Smith, who could only manage zero and 17, has slid down to seventh place, his lowest position since December 2014.
T&T Olympian Khalifa St Fort announces engagement
Two-time Olympian and Trinidad and Tobago track star Khalifa St Fort has announced her engagement, sharing the joyful news on social media on Sunday. The 26-year-old sprinter, who represented her country at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics in 2021, shared a heartfelt post celebrating her upcoming union.
"God writes the best love stories, and ours is my favorite. ‘I have found the one whom my soul loves’ Song of Solomon 3:4," she wrote. "I can’t wait to spend forever with you. You truly are my answered prayer. I love you now and always. ?"
St Fort, known for her electrifying performances on the track, also holds a silver medal from the 2018 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Colombia and was a key member of Trinidad and Tobago's 4x100m relay team that won bronze at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing. She is also a two-time World U20 medalist, underlining her pedigree as one of the Caribbean's premier sprinting talents.
However, the sprinter has largely stepped away from competition in recent years, focusing on her education and other personal endeavors. Her last recorded competitive appearances were in May 2022.
The announcement has been met with an outpouring of congratulations from fans and fellow athletes, celebrating the new chapter in the life of one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most accomplished athletes.
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