T&T's cycling team of Njisane Phillip, Nicholas Paul, Kwesi Browne and Keron Bramble left yesterday for the UCI World Championships in Poland where they intend to improve their chances of an Olympic berth in Tokyo Japan.
With funds continuing to be a major issue, the team had to credit tickets from an unknown airline for its departure. Guardian Media Sports understand there was no approval of funds from the Ministry of Finance, up to Tuesday, before it goes to the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and then to the Sports Company of T&T, before its final dispatch to the cycling team.
Coach and manager Erin Hartwell said recently the team's performances have been improving with each competition. But for the next week or so, the local riders will have to be at their very best against the best riders in the world.
Yesterday chairman of the cycling federation's Racing Committee Joseph Roberts said he is confident of a good performance, as it has been progressing at each tournament. "Since Erin came, the team has been getting better and better. There is no doubt that it will be a tough contest in Poland, but we are going there to maintain and improve on our performances, as we need to be among the top eight teams to gain valuable points that will help us go to the Olympic Games," Roberts explained.
The T&T Sprint team is currently ranked eighth in the world with 3723 points, some 3353 points behind leaders Netherlands on 7076 points. Poland, the host nation is ranked 11th on 3582 points. Paul, at 21, is the highest ranked rider for team TTO at 10th, after accumulating 1970 points. Phillip, who was ousted at the quarterfinal round from the 2012 Olympics in London England, is currently ranked 36th on 1167 points.
Yesterday Roberts said he is expecting the differences between Hartwell and cyclist Quincy Alexander to affect the team, but is unsure of how severe it will be.
Only recently Alexander accused his coach of victimisation, and Hartwell in an immediate response called on the racing committee of the TTCF to clear his name. Roberts promised the team will be provided with a sports psychologist.
He told Guardian Media Sports his committee has had discussions about securing the services of a psychologist for the team as it is critical in such a high-performance environment. "I would say by August or September of this year we should have the psychologist with the team. And he will be there in time for the start of the next qualifiers which will be the Pan Am."