Cycling Federation to appoint local coach

Yesterday, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF), Rowena Williams explained the committee, being led by Robert Farrell, will begin a series of meetings that will eventually result in the appointment of a national cycling coach and the cyclists to represent TT at future international events.

They are to decide also on what the qualifying standards for local cyclists will be ahead of the Pan Am and Olympic Games.

The committee which includes secretary Frank Gittens, assistant Ivan Charles, public relations officer (PRO) Richard Jiminez, David Beard, Gregory Dandrade and Fitzroy Daniel met for the first time last night.

They are to decide on a national cycling coach since the firing of US coach Erin Hartwell late last year.

His sacking came after Minister of Sport, Anil Roberts felt the multiple Olympic and World Cycling Championship medallist, was not qualified for the position of high performance manager in Trinidad and Tobago.

The local cycling boss explained that a foreign coach will not be considered as a replacement for Hartwell. She said the decision was taken because of the shortage of time and huge cost involved in such a venture.

An appointment is expected to be made from the local coaches available to the cycling federation.

Williams, the first woman to be in charge of the sport in TT, said courses for cycling coaches were offered last year and a number of people successfully completed them.

“We have a cadre of local coaches from which we can pick and the racing committee has already identified,” Williams said.

However she added the committee has also singled out a number of cyclists who have been short-listed to represent TT at international competitions.

Among them is cycling ace Njisane Phillip who is back in Trinidad and Tobago breaking his collar bone at the recently concluded World Cup in Beijing China.

Others named are world number one in the kilometre time trial Christopher Sellier, Haseem Mc Lean, Tariq Smart and Azikwe Kellar.

A number of other cyclists have also been short-listed Williams said, but they will first have to meet the qualifying times to earn a place on the national team.

Williams said she believes Trinidad and Tobago can demand a place at the Olympic Games, particularly in the sprints.

“We have a good chance in the sprints because we have a number of top sprinters. However we have not paid much attention to the endurance riders and this is what we want to do also.”