Nicholas Paul
file
A series of unstoppable performances on the International Cycling Union (UCI) circuits in Canada and Germany, followed by a classy display at the PanAm Elite Track Cycling Championships in Argentina, a performance which complemented a gold medal win at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Add to that another double medal-winning performance at the Pan American (PanAm) Games in Santiago, Chile.
For many, that would more than represent a successful cycling career. But for Trinidad and Tobago's Nicholas Paul, this is only the beginning. In fact, despite his many successes to date, Paul still views his career as a work in progress, possibly because he is still hunting that one prize or moment to really define things and that is the Olympic Games dream.
Much like he did at the PanAm Elite Track Cycling Championships in Argentina where he won the Sprints and Keirin, while clocking a new track record 9.349 seconds in the flying 200m, Paul once again demonstrated his qualities as one of the best track cyclists in the world when he won gold in the final of the Men’s Sprint at the 2023 Pan American Games.
The outstanding 25-year-old out-paced his rival Jair Tjon of Suriname to top the podium, while Kevin Santiago Qunitero Chavarro of Colombia bettered Canada’s Nicholas John Wammes in the race for the bronze medal.
For Paul, the win added to his Pan Am Games title won in Lima, Peru in 2019 and he rightly expressed delight at the accomplishments.
“Firstly I would like to thank God for a safe meet. I am very pleased with my performance at this stage of the season because my preparation coming into the Pan-American Games was really good, and so I knew it was all left to my execution as the key factor which would determine how things would turnout.
“Fortunately, I executed well both in the flying 200m and the Sprints achieving some excellent results. Creating a new games record is always a special moment for me and my country,” Paul told SportsMax.tv.
The modest twin island republic cyclist returned a day later to cop a silver medal in the Men’s Keirin final.
On that occasion, Paul used his electric sprint speed in the final lap to power himself to second place, after falling behind the pack with a couple of laps remaining in the six-lap event.
The event was won by Colombia's Kevin Quintero, the reigning world champion in the event, while Mexico's Juan Ruiz Teran was third.
Paul, who has been a model of consistency throughout the season, attributed his continuous improvement and, by extension, success to the time spent in training honing his craft.
“It’s means a lot to me just to know that my hard work is paying off and I’m able to show the world that Trinidad and Tobago has a lot of talent. Like I said before, my preparations for the PanAm Games have been great and so I am pleased that I was able to accomplish all my goals to an extent,” he shared.
That said, Paul hinted at the possibility of much more to come, as he intends to continue pushing the limits and discover what he is truly able to achieve –next year’s Olympic Games in Paris being his next immediate target.
“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. My overall goal for this year and beyond is to firstly qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games and secondly, try to win a medal or medals at the Olympic Games for Trinidad and Tobago. But for now, the focus is some much-needed rest and recovery," Paul declared.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Jamaica fastest through to men’s and women’s 4x100m finals at World Under-20 Championships
Jamaica’s female and male quartets both looked mightily impressive in the heats of the 4x100m relays on day four of the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru on Friday.
The female team comprising Sabrina Dockery, Alliah Baker, Briana Campbell and Alana Reid first combined to easily win their heat in 43.81, the fastest time in qualifying.
Puerto Rico, who ran a national Under-20 record 45.28 in second in that heat, also made it through to Saturday’s final.
On the men’s side, the team of Jace Witter, Gary Card, Nyrone Wade and Deandre Daley won their heat in 39.54, also the fastest time in the heats.
Trinidad & Tobago’s team of Che Jean-Marc Wickham, Kadeem Chinapoo, Hakeem Chinapoo and Dylan Woodruff will also be in the final after combining to run 39.77 to finish second behind the Jamaicans in heat four.
Jamaica’s women also advanced to the final of the Women’s 4x400m. Abrina Wright, Shanque Williams, Anecia Campbell and Nastassia Fletcher combined to run 3:38.04 to finish second in their heat behind Colombia who won in 3:38.01.
In the field, Jamaica’s Shaiquan Dunn threw 57.82m to advance to the final of the men’s discus.
Do better: Gibbons urges T&T authorities to address venue issues to enhance SSFL product
With broadcast being a vital part of any competition as it brings fans closer to the action, Kerry Gibbons, head of creative production at SportsMax, called out the powers that be to address the lack of available venues for the Secondary Schools' Football League (SSFL) season.
Gibbons voiced his concern as he explained that the issue is one that has hindered SportsMax’s broadcast schedules and logistics for the past season.
As such, with the upcoming season scheduled to get underway on September 7, Gibbons believes those charged with the responsibility of maintaining the facilities in Trinidad and Tobago must do their part to ensure the best quality SSFL product.
“There are also struggles with venues, which also affect our broadcast schedules and logistics. In a country rich with stadia and football facilities, those responsible must do better,” Gibbons said during the event’s launch at the BRIX hotel on Wednesday.
SportsMax has been the official sponsor and broadcaster for the SSFL since 2016. The broadcast company again underscored its tagline as the ‘Home of Champions’, with a stellar production of the recently-concluded Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the Caribbean.
“The same equipment used to produce Olympics and international football games, that's the equipment used to produce the SSFL." SportsMax broadcaster Hans Des Vignes declared.
Earlier this month, president of the SSFL, Merere Gonzales, also pointed out that there are obstacles hindering the partnership with SportsMax.
Though pleased that SportsMax would like to broadcast more doubleheaders, which would be more exposure for the tournament and players, Gonzales said available venues remain their Achilles heel.
“What we have working against us is the availability of the venues, so we can have games not too early in the afternoon, because we would like the spectators and support groups that come after school to attend. If we are having a game at 2:00 pm, it's negating even students from coming and supporting,” Gonzales told T&T Newsday, adding that starting games any later would also pose a problem due to the unavailability of light in some venues.
One such venue without light is the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, while the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva has broken and discoloured seats as well as rusting beams.
Meanwhile, the Hasely Crawford Stadium was closed in July for renovations.
Still, Gibbons expressed SportsMax’s delight at supporting the SSFL in exposing future stars. He also urged other corporate entities to "come off the sidelines and walk onto the pitch."
Ja's Alana Reid strikes gold as BVI's Adaejah Hodge, Bajan Kishawna Niles complete Caribbean sweep of 100m final at World U-20 Champs
Jamaica's rising sprint sensation, Alana Reid, delivered a stellar performance to claim the women’s 100m gold in a Caribbean sweep of the podium at the World Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, on Wednesday.
Reid, who was a part of Jamaica’s relay team at the Paris Olympic Games, was always favoured as the class of the field, and she justified that favouritism with a storming run to earn Jamaica’s first medal of the five-day championships.
The 19-year-old’s win in 11.17s in a race that saw the Caribbean region dominate was a redemption of sorts, as she has upgraded her 200m bronze medal from the 2022 championships and once again underscored her status as one of the brightest young talents in Jamaican athletics.
Another young Olympian, Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands, closed fast to cop silver in 11.27s, while Barbadian Kishawna Niles took home the bronze in 11.37s.
Reid's gold medal was the culmination of a series of strong performances from the preliminary rounds, as she consistently demonstrated her composure under pressure and established herself as the athlete to beat.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Deandre Daley (10.33s) and Gary Card (10.44s) were beaten into fourth and sixth, respectively, in the men’s 100m final.
That race was won by South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza (10.19s), ahead of Thailand’s Puripol Boonson (10.22s) and another South African, Bradley Nkoana (10.26s).
Earlier, Trinidad and Tobago’s Janae De Gannes placed eighth in the women’s long jump final after mustering a best leap of 6.09m. Australia’s Delta Amidzovski (6.58m), American Sophia Beckmon (6.54m) and Poland’s Julia Adamczyk (6.34m) were the medal winners.
No Caribbean athlete made the men’s 400m final, as Jamaica’s Kemario Bygrave (47.56s) was fourth in semi-final one, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Jaden Clement failed to finish.
It was more of the same in semi-final two as Puerto Rico’s Jarell Cruz (47.26s) placed fourth, while Guyana’s Malachi Austin failed to finish.
Jamaica’s Shanque Williams, the Caribbean’s lone women’s semi-finalist, also missed out, as she placed seventh in her semi-final in 54.47s.
Elsewhere in the field, Brenden Vanderpool of the Bahamas, failed to progress to the men’s pole vault final after he placed 14th in Group A qualifying with a best clearance of 4.80m.
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