T&T’s top cyclist satisfied with national record
Top Trinidad and Tobago track cyclist Njisane Phillip said he was satisfied with his new national record flying 200m time of 9.643 and was looking forward to the UCI World Championships in Cali, Colombia and the Commonwealth Games in the Isle of Man next year.
Phillip finished eighth in the match sprint event at the second UCI World Track Cycling Cup leg in Aguascalientes, Mexico, on the weekend, and is ranked second overall in the sprint behind leader Matthew Glaetzer of Australia, who won Saturday’s sprint final in two best-of-three rides against Olympic champion Jason Kenny.
Phillip is also ranked fifth overall in the keirin after two legs, but said he won’t be taking part in the next UCI World Cup event in Guadalajara from January 17-19 as he opts to focus on “Worlds” in Colombia in February.
“I was really trying to aim for faster, going at the world record but it was a really fast field and everybody else had the same plan. So I am happy with the time just coming back to major competition,” Phillip said, adding that in balance “I was happy to finish in the top eight.”
Phillip said the top cyclists performed up to expectation and while the UCI meet was a good marker, he was ready to return the drawing board.
“I am going back to LA (Los Angeles) on December 29 to resume my training, (and I) will be training for the World Championships in February in Cali, Columbia,” he said.
Phillip says he is going back into his endurance and strength building phase of his programme and will be especially keen on the Worlds, since it will be his first after missing out last year when he took a break after the London Olympics.
Phillips said he will also be looking to climb the podium.
“I have won the gold at CAC (Central American and Caribbean) Games, so I really want to get that Commonwealth Games title and I will be really pushing for that,” Phillip said.
Commenting on the DPS (Drive Phase Sport) team, Phillip said he was pleased with their performances, which featured several improvements.
“It was a great performance from those guys, Quincy (Roberts) did a fast 1:01 in the kilo (1:01.048), and Varun Maharaj posted two national records, so I think it speaks well for cycling in T&T and it shows that the cyclists are all heading in the right direction,” Phillip concluded.