Roberts, Maharajh in Pan Am team

Sprinter Justin Roberts and endurance rider Varun Maharajh were both selected to represent T&T at the Pan American Championships, which are set to be held in Mexico, from February 5.

The pair joins automatic qualifiers, Jodi Goodridge, Azikiwe Kellar and Kwesi Browne.

Roberts and Maharaj were both unable to secure automatic qualifying spots in the flying 200m and the 4km pursuit events, when the T&T Cycling Federation (TTCF) hosted its trials for the Pan American Cycling Championships last week.

However, neither was far off their mark, with Roberts clocking in at 11.469 in the flying 200m, which was just over the 11.350 standard. Maharajh participated in the 4km individual pursuit and clocked in at 5:01.804, a mere 1.804 seconds off the five minute qualifying mark.

Goodridge, meanwhile, became the first woman from T&T to qualify for any Pan American Championship event, when she broke the national record in the women’s flying 200m in 13.439 seconds. The standard for women’s qualification is 13.50 seconds.

Browne and Kellar, were also both automatic qualifiers in the men’s flying 200m, when they clocked in at 11.336 and 11.269 seconds, respectively, below the standard of 11.350 seconds.

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