Ten national cyclists will begin their 2015 Elite Pan American Cycling Championship campaign in three competitive disciplines today when action pedals off at the Parque Penalolen Velodrome in Santiago, Chile.
All of the 17-member Trinidad and Tobago contingent have arrived in South America from their varying destinations across the globe and start day-one competition in the Men’s Team Pursuit, Men and Women’s Team Sprint and Women’s Scratch Race.
This meet is the final qualifier leg for the coming International Cycling Union (UCI) World Cups and plays a key role towards qualification for next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gracing the sleek 250m track for the first time at an Elite Pan Am for TT in the Male Team Pursuit are endurance aces Varun Maharajh, Gavyn Nero, Jovian Gomez and promising youngster Akil Campbell.
Another first for the red, white and black this year is our debut female sprint team featuring former Junior Pan American Team Sprint champion pair, Aziza Browne and Jodi Goodridge.
Representing TT in the male sprint version are Quincy Alexander, Justin Roberts and Jude Codrington while Pan Am Games silver medallist Njisane Phillip and Kwesi Browne, have been favoured for the individual Men’s Sprint and Keirin events.
Additionally, the inform Teneil Campbell will also be making her elite women debut as the lone female endurance representative in the Scratch Race.
Campbell placed a credible fourth place (Omnium) at the recently concluded Junior Pan Ams and followed up with a double- gold showing at the Caribbean Junior Road Championships and is expected to once again show grit on the regional stage.
TT will continue its elite Pan Am journey with Keirin action on Thursday, Omnium on Friday and Saturday and climax their participation with the Sprints on Sunday and Monday.
However, TT will be emphasising its efforts towards the Sprint, Keirin and Team Sprint events in their effort to gain precious Olympic qualification points towards Rio 2016.
The team charged with the responsibility of managing our largest contingent is David Francis (manager), Robert Farrier (sprint coach), Ashton Williams (endurance coach), Elisha Greene (mechanic) and Christopher Pitt (mechanic).