Top sprinters confirm for Easter Grand Prix

Venezuelan sprinter Hersony Canelon, who recently rewrote Njisane Phillip’s flying 200m Pan American record, will be among several world class cyclists set to participate at the 2013 Easter Grand Prix from March 29-31.

The event branded “The Road to Rio Stars Here” will be hosted by the T&T Cycling Federation (TTCF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Sport and the Sport Company of Trinidad & Tobago (SporTT), with the latter two handling the brunt of expenses.

The first two days (March 29 and 30) will be staged at the Arima Velodrome, before the final day of races (Easter Sunday) is staged at Skinner Park, San Fernando.

Described as T&T cycling’s flagship event by special advisor to the Ministry of Sport Caryl Kellar at the event’s launch at the Ministry of Sport, Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, the three-day competition will attract top cyclists from Cuba, Jamaica, Guyana, Mexico, Colombia, many of whom have already confirmed their participation. 

“Our sprinter Njisane Phillip has a big job on his hands,” said Kellar, as he named some of the top athletes invited to the event, which also includes Colombia’s Fabian Puerta, a 21-year-old World Cup double gold medal winner.

“If you want to see some real world class sprinting, you have to be at the Grand Prix this year. In think this is the first time in many, many years that we will see this calibre of cycling in T&T,” he added.

No names have yet been issued for the local team, but it will comprise six men and two women. The names are expected to be released within two weeks.

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