Nicholas Paul rebounded from the disappointment of not medalling in the keirin event of the World Championships on Thursday by claiming the silver medal in the 1 Kilometre Time Trial in France yesterday in a time of 59.791 seconds.
Paul, the day before, was pipped for the bronze medal though he appeared to have been well on course for a medal in the keirin. Yesterday, he made no mistake after being one of eight riders to qualify for the finals.
His main concern was Dutchman Jeffrey Hoogland who topped the qualifiers with the fastest time of 58.746.The defending champion had only the day before secured the silver medal behind his countryman Harrie Lavreysen who coincidentally, was also the defending champion in that event. Both Dutchmen also created a major stir at the Tokyo, Japan Olympic Games by winning the sprints events on offer.
Paul though was cool as he began his final ride in the second-to-last position, at which time the race was being led by Germany's Joachim Eilers in a time of 1:00.008. Eilers, a winner of the kilometre time trial event five years ago, like Paul, was seeking redemption, after failing to medal in the keirin event the day before.
Paul, considered one of the fastest men on wheels, particularly after his 9.100 performance in the flying 200 metres at the Elite Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru, had now forced the crowd to acknowledge him with blistering performance that recorded 59.791 that earned him the silver medal.
Hoogland concluded the sprints with a lightning-quick 58.418 to seal the gold medal. Eilers secured the bronze with 1:00.008 while Poland's Patryck Rajkowski was fourth overall in 1:00.624.
Today, Paul will go after another medal when he contests the men's sprint, while his compatriot Akil Campbell will attempt to rebound from a 21st finish in the Scratch race on Thursday, by competing in the Men's Omnium and the Elimination race. Meanwhile, former national cyclist Gene Samuel had an immediate response to Paul's silver medal performance, saying, he was elated for the rider.
Samuels said: "I am expecting great things from Nicholas once everything is on par and it is, now that he's getting world-class coaching. I've always said that we're blessed in the Caribbean in the field of sports, as far as talent goes. We just never had support from the government, but with Nicholas and the other riders coming up, that will be opened to world-class coaching, we can only see great things."
Results
Yesterday
Time Trial
1 Jeffrey Hoogland (Netherlands) - 58.418
2 Nicholas Paul (T&T) - 59.791
3 Joachim Eilers (Germany) - 1:00.008
4 Patryck Rajkowski (Poland) - 1:00.624.
Thursday
Keirin
1 Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands)
2 Jeffrey Hoogland (Netherlands)
3 Mikhail Iakovlev (Russian Cycling Fed)
4 Nicholas Paul (T&T)
Scratch
1 Donovan Grondin (France)
2 Tuur Dens (Belgium)
3 Rhys Britton (United Kingdom)
21 Akil Campbell (T&T)