Trinidad and Tobago’s ace cyclist Nicholas Paul is off to a flying start at the Pan American Elite Track Cycling Championships, and he could not be more thrilled. With a gold medal in the team sprint and a silver in the keirin already under his belt, Paul believes the championships in Paraguay are providing the perfect springboard toward his ultimate goal—the World Championships.
"I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my Pan American Championships. Winning gold in the team sprint for Trinidad and Tobago was the perfect way to kick things off. It was a strong statement from my team and me, and then the silver medal adds to that positive, so I’m motivated to keep pushing for more,” Paul told SportsMax.TV from his team base in Paraguay.
For Paul, the Pan American Championships serve as a crucial checkpoint in his meticulously planned 2025 season. He has set his sights on competing in multiple events, using each performance as a building block for greater success.
"Pan Ams is one of my targeted competitions for 2025. I had a great block of training leading up to this, so now it’s all about trusting the preparation and taking one race at a time. I intend to compete in the team sprint, keirin, sprints, and the 1km time trial. Every race here is a chance to fine-tune my form ahead of the World Championships," Paul explained.
Nicholas Paul in action.
His silver medal in the men’s keirin was proof of his form and determination. In a tightly contested final, Paul unleashed his power in the latter stages but had to settle for second behind Colombia’s Kevin Quintero Chavarro. Canada’s Nick Wammes secured the bronze, while Ryan Dodyk, also of Canada, and Argentina’s Oscar Lucas Vilar and Juan Bautista Rodriguez rounded out the top six.
Paul, 26, is not the only Trinidadian making waves in Paraguay. Alongside him is Njisane Phillip, who played a key role in their gold-medal-winning team sprint effort with Ryan D’Abreau. Though Phillip narrowly missed out on a place in the keirin final, his presence and experience remain invaluable.
"It’s always great to have compatriots competing alongside me, representing the red, white, and black. Trinidad and Tobago definitely has talent, and we’re proving it on the Pan Am stage. Seeing more of our cyclists making an impact internationally is a testament to how far we’ve come as a cycling nation," he reasoned.
Women’s sprint queen Makaira Wallace also showed her class, reaching the quarterfinals of the match sprint before bowing out to Canada’s Sarah Orban. Wallace’s performance came just weeks after she shattered the national sprint record at the UCI Track Nations Cup in Turkey, clocking 10.784 seconds. Meanwhile, her teammate Phoebe Sandy progressed impressively through the early rounds before being stopped in the 1/8 round by Colombia’s Lorena Cuadrado.
While the medals and strong performances in Paraguay are rewarding, Paul is more focused on gauging his progress, which would allow him and his team to make the necessary adjustments leading up to the World Championships later this year.
"This event is a solid platform to assess where I am at this stage of my training block. From here, my coach and team will analyze the data, refine my strategy, and make the necessary tweaks. The World Championships are my main target for the year, and everything I do now is about peaking at the right time," Paul noted.
Beyond competition, Paul is also focused on his long-term career development. His recent partnership with Perception Management is still in its early stages, but he sees great potential in it.
“We have some exciting projects in mind. Right now, we’re working on the foundation stages, and from there, we’ll build towards bigger opportunities. It’s an exciting time in my career, both on and off the track," Paul ended.