Two-time Olympic cyclist and coach Njisane Phillip has called for greater support to be given to home-based athletes after returning from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Junior Track World Championships in Luoyang, China where his cyclist Makaira Wallace bagged a pair of silver medals – TT's only medals at the games.
Wallace, 18, medalled in both the 500-metre time trial and keirin events in Luoyang, and she also established new national records in both the 500m time trial and the 200-metre flying sprint event. After lowering her national record in the flying sprint to 10.874 seconds on August 22, Wallace lost to Korean cyclist Yeben Park in the 1/8 final.
The 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games and 2024 Junior Pan American medallist bounced back in a big way in her remaining events, though, and she said Phillip's presence was instrumental to her success.
Speaking at the VIP lounge of the Piarco International Airport on August 28, Phillip said he wasn't included in the TT Cycling Federation (TTCF) contingent to attend the championships, and he was instead facilitated by the Colombian Cycling Federation.
"I'd like to thank the Colombian Cycling Federation for allowing me to be in China...for understanding the importance of having your coach in your corner, especially for the first day," Phillip told the media.
Phillip said Wallace had a breakdown after her exit from the flying sprint event, and he said the resilience she showed to bounce back and capture two medals afterwards was amazing.
"She made a mistake in the (sprint) ride and that kinda threw her out of the tournament," he said.
"Just being able to be in her corner and talking to her to get her back (on track). I think if I wasn't there, it would have been a lot (more) difficult for her to bounce back," he said.
[caption id="attachment_1105449" align="alignnone" width="1024"] National cyclist Makaira Wallace with her World Junior Cycling silver medals at the Piarco International Airport on August 28. - Photo by Faith Ayoung[/caption]
"I'm really grateful to them for the opportunity to be there and support her. Hopefully, things can change moving to the future."
Though the Sports Company of TT (SporTT) sent a media invitation to welcome the return of cyclists on August 27 and 28, there were no SporTT or TTCF officials at the VIP lounge to welcome Wallace and Phillip. They were greeted by two TTCF officials outside the airport.
Cyclists Danell James, Jelani Nedd, Jadian Neaves and Syndel Samaroo returned home on August 27.
After making a switch from being a triathlete to a track cyclist in 2022, Wallace said her dream is to represent TT at the LA 2028 Olympics. And though Phillip is intrigued by Wallace's trajectory in the sport, he believes support could well be the determining factor for the talented athlete and many others like her.
"Once we continue to get the support that we need, I think the sky's the limit for (Makaira)," he said.
"She has a lot of support right now from her family...Hopefully, we get the meetings we need
