Trinidad and Tobago’s Nicholas Paul saw his Olympic campaign come to an end on the final day of the 2024 Paris Games after finishing fifth in Heat 2 of the men's Keirin quarterfinals Sunday. His placement fell short of the top four qualifying spots needed to advance to the semifinals, bringing his journey at this year’s Olympics to a close.

The 25-year-old cyclist entered the Paris Olympics with high ambitions, fueled by an impressive track record that included a sixth-place finish in the sprint at Tokyo 2020 during his Olympic debut. Over the years, Paul has established himself as one of the world’s fastest cyclists, earning multiple accolades on the global stage.

Paul’s accomplishments are highlighted by his two silver medals at the World Championships—one in the sprint event in 2023 and another in the 1km time trial in 2021. Additionally, he made history for Trinidad and Tobago by winning gold in the Keirin at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, marking the nation's first cycling medal since 1966. His performance at those games also earned him a silver medal in the sprint and a bronze in the 1km time trial.

Beyond his medal haul, Paul holds the world record for the flying 200m sprint, a testament to his incredible speed and skill on the track. Although his Olympic journey in Paris ended earlier than hoped, Paul’s achievements and contributions to the sport remain significant, and he continues to be a source of pride for Trinidad and Tobago.

Paul will undoubtedly look to build on the lessons learned and continue striving for excellence in future competitions. 

Trinidadian cyclist Nicholas Paul followed up his Men’s Sprint gold medal at the 2023 Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile with a silver medal in the Men’s Keirin final on Friday.

The 25-year-old, who won gold in the men's sprint event at the Velodromo Penalolen on Thursday, 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 keirin final was won by Colombia's Kevin Quintero, the reigning world champion in the event, while Mexico's Juan Ruiz Teran finished in third spot.

Paul also took Keirin gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.