Like many of you I am sure, I am proud and thrilled whenever a T&T team or athlete does well at the international level. Somehow it gives us as a people a lift, and it must also inspire their fellow athletes to do the best they can in their respective disciplines.
Naturally, pride and place must go to the champion cyclist, 25-year-old Nicholas Paul. He takes me back to when I was a youngster and my many visits to the Oval to see my hero, Roger Gibbon, represent the red, white and black. Unfortunately, before him, other prominent cyclists flew the T&T flag high, but I was too young to appreciate their achievements. My love for cycling came from Gibbon, Leslie King and Fitzroy Hoyte.
I met Paul many years ago. He is a gentle giant displaying remarkable humility and not only is he a credit to himself and his family but also to the cycling community. The T&T Cycling Federation (TTCF) has done a magnificent job in assisting Paul in getting where he is today.
Let us, however, go back a bit as Akil Campbell must come in for praise as he could well have lifted the spirit of Paul at the Pan American Track Cycling Championship when he secured T&T’s first medal when he finished third in the men’s scratch race contested over 60 laps at the Velo Sports Centre in California, USA last week.
After that, it was the Nicholas Paul show. He repeated as the men’s keirin champion as he looked comfortable in the semifinals, and you just knew that once he did not have a spill or bad luck, he would have comfortably won the event. What was as pleasing was the performance of Kwesi Browne, who finished a creditable third to take the bronze medal.
Paul was not finished as he defended his men’s sprint title at the Pan-Am Cycling Championship in glorious style showing the world that he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting sprinters in track cycling. Although T&T ended the 2024 Championships with only four medals: Paul’s two golds along with Browne and Campbell’s bronze medals, it should serve as a true inspiration to the cycling federation to do a lot more for T&T’s cycling and cyclists.
Now, please don’t misunderstand me as I am in no way implying that the federation is not doing anything; I am simply pointing out to use Paul and his success to show the youngsters in the sport what can be achieved with hard work, discipline and dedication.
Many years ago, I knew the then-racing secretary, and we talked quite often about what the federation was doing for T&T cycling and the development of youngsters. Unfortunately, I have lost touch with those incentives and just how much work is being done to get youngsters involved in cycling, as well as getting more cyclists better prepared for the international circuit.
Nicholas Paul is a true national hero, and he should be treated as such. My sincerest congratulations to him and his team for making us all smile in T&T, especially when the country is faced with so much crime, from young students fighting in schools to the countless murders, etc. Thank you, Paul, Browne, Campbell, and all the other cyclists who may not have won a medal but gave their best efforts in representing their country and that is all that can be asked.
Congratulations must also go to T&T’s national men’s senior indoor hockey team on their accomplishment of finishing in second place against a tough Argentina team in the Indoor Pan American Cup and, more importantly, their qualification for the Indoor Hockey World Cup to be played in Croatia in February 2025.
In addition to the players, coach Raphael Govia must be given tremendous credit for his tactical work against the likes of the South Americans and the USA and the belief the squad would have had. Sometimes, the work of a coach goes unnoticed but it is that behind-the-scenes work that is so important in planning for the opposition and trying to play to their team’s strengths and the opponent’s weaknesses. Coming from a 12-2 loss against the Argentinians to playing in the final and closing the gap to 5-2 must have taken belief and brave tactical changes.
The hard work has only now begun, but reaching the World Cup has been a great achievement, and undoubtedly more effort and planning will be needed to compete with the very best in the World. In a way, it reminds me of T&T’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup in 2006. You have 10 months to prepare, and before you say ‘World Cup”, the team will be in their first match.
Good luck to T&T’s hockey men; you have made your country proud.
Editor’s note: The views expressed in the preceding article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of any organisation in which he is a stakeholder.