TEAM TTO riders brought the curtain down on the American Track Cup, Copa Chile de Ciclismo de Pista #2 in Santiago, Chile last night with a four-medal haul, as the nation’s sprint and endurance cyclists once again delivered on the international stage.
Sprint stars Makaira “Maki” Wallace and Njisane Phillip claimed gold in the women’s individual sprint and men’s keirin respectively, while endurance rider Teniel Campbell added silver in the Women’s elimination and bronze in the Women’s points race.
Phillip was in imperious form in the Men’s keirin final, once again getting the better of Colombia’s Cristian Ortega. Spain’s Alejandro Martinez took bronze, while compatriot Esteban Sanchez finished fourth. Brazil’s Joao Vitor Da Silva and Juan Bautista Rodriguez placed fifth and sixth respectively.
The Trinidad and Tobago rider had to work his way through the rounds before reaching the final, finishing second in semi-final one behind Da Silva. He had earlier advanced from the first round after placing second in heat three of four.
Wallace then closed out the competition in style, defeating Argentina’s Valentina Mendez in two straight rides in the gold medal ride-off to take the women’s individual sprint crown.
Chile’s Daniela Colilef won bronze after sweeping past Colombia’s Marianis Salazar in consecutive rides.
Wallace’s path to gold was not without drama. In her semi-final showdown with Salazar, she was relegated to second in the opening ride after a sprinter’s lane infraction, but responded strongly to win the next two rides and advance.
She had earlier brushed aside Colombia’s Marta Catalina Ojeda in the quarter-finals and topped qualifying in the flying 200m with an 11.017-second effort.
Campbell also stood out for T&T, securing silver in the Women’s elimination behind Chile’s Scarlet Cortes, with Argentina’s Paula Silva Wynants taking bronze.
She later returned to the track in the points race, where she finished third behind Cortes and Luciana Wynants. Campbell’s compatriot Alexi Ramirez placed fifth.