Roneil Walcott
Impressive cyclist Makaira Wallace showcased her undoubted quality on the world’s stage at the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Junior Track World Championships in Luoyang, China on August 24 when she copped a silver medal in the women’s 500-metre time trial.
On August 22, Wallace shattered her own national women’s sprint record in the qualifying round of the flying sprint event, before being knocked out of the competition at the 1/8 finals stage. The 18-year-old Wallace ensured her best ride in Luoyang was still to come as she grabbed second spot in the 500m time trial final in 34.376 seconds. Wallace’s brilliant ride was only topped by ace Colombian cyclist Stefany Cuadadro, who sped to a gold medal finish in 34.312 to add to the sprint title she captured in Luoyang a few days ago.
Wallace lowered her time from the qualifying round when she clocked 34.483 to finish with the third-best qualifying time behind the pair of Cuadrado (34.155) and China’s Shuyan Luo (34.333).
Wallace pushed Luo down to third in the 500m time trial final, with the Chinese rider clocking 34.407 to add to her bronze in the sprint event. Australia’s Liliya Tatarinoff placed fourth in the 500m time trial in 34.967, replicating her fourth-place finish from the sprint event.
Wallace has been in fine form on the cycling track for TT, and she was a member of the 2024 Junior Pan American Track Cycling Championships team which copped eight medals in Lima, Peru in June. At the Pan Am Junior Champs, Wallace grabbed silver medals in both the 500m time trial and sprint events, to go along with a bronze medal in the keirin event.
On home soil last August, Wallace also shone brightly when she grabbed keirin silver and 500m time trial bronze at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games.
Wallace is coached by two-time Olympian Njisane Phillip, who congratulated the youngster on social media.
“Her (Makaira’s) story has been made for Trinidad and Tobago,” Phillip wrote. “Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this journey, enjoy it!
“Look what you did riding track for less than two years, the world is watching!”
Endurance rider Jadian Neaves, who copped two medals at the Pan Am Junior Champs, had an eighth-place finish in the men’s omnium event after racking up a total of 76 points through the scratch, tempo, elimination and points races. The omnium event was won by Belgium’s Matijs Van Strijthem who amassed 112 points and just edged out USA’s Ashlin Barry who settled for silver with 111 points. Australia’s Alexander Hewes took the bronze medal after accumulating 102 points.
The Junior Track World Championships concludes on August 25.