T&T's cycling quartet of Njisane Phillip, Nicholas Paul, Keron Bramble and Kwesi Browne left on Wednesday to contest the first of three World Cups in Hong Kong, being used as a qualifier for the Olympic Games in Tokyo Japan next year.
The team got a funding boost of $1 million from the government for the Olympic drive, as well as equipment for the team to help with its drive to earn Olympic qualifying points.
The team is expected to spring into action on November 29 in search of much needed Olympic points. Joseph Roberts, chairman of the Racing Committee said he expects a good showing by the T&T riders.
Coming on the heels of the qualification of teammate Teniel Campbell to the Olympics, Roberts said the TT riders have been doing well and should only continue where they left off.
Two months ago the T&T quartet produced a series of outstanding performances at the Elite Pan Am American Track Cycling Championship in Cochabamba, Bolivia, taking the gold in the team sprint, while Paul shattered the world record in a time of 9.100 seconds and a speed of 79.120 kph.
Upon returning home soon after, coach Erin Hartwell did not allow his charges much rest time and they were back out to training in a day.
Roberts told Guardian Media Sports that much is expected from the team, and hopefully, they would garner enough points going into the World Championship in February in Germany.
After the first World Cup, the T&T team will head straight to the second World Cup in New Zealand from December 6-8 and will conclude the year with a third World Cup, December 13-15 in Australia.
Roberts said a thorough assessment will be done with the team following the Australia World Cup, to determine ways to better their performances at the World Championship, which unlike the World Cups, will carry double points.
