Cyclist Makaira Wallace takes silver in the 500m time trial at the Junior World Championships

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2 hours ago

Impressive cyclist Makaira Wallace demonstrated her undisputed quality on the world stage at the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Junior Track World Championships in Luoyang, China on August 24, when she took a silver medal in the women's 500m time trial.

On August 22, Wallace broke her own national sprint record in the qualifying round of the flying sprint before being eliminated from the competition in the round of 16. The 18-year-old Wallace ensured her best ride was yet to come in Luoyang when she secured second place in the final of the 500m time trial in 34.376 seconds. Wallace's brilliant ride was only surpassed by the outstanding Colombian cyclist Stefany Cuadadro, who raced to a gold medal in 34.312 seconds, adding to the sprint title she won in Luoyang a few days ago.

Wallace improved her time from the qualifying round to 34.483 and finished the race with the third-best qualifying time behind the pair Cuadrado (34.155) and China's Shuyan Luo (34.333).

Wallace edged Luo into third place in the 500m time trial final. The Chinese athlete clocked a time of 34.407 seconds to secure her bronze medal in the sprint. Australia's Liliya Tatarinoff finished fourth in the 500m time trial with a time of 34.967 seconds, repeating her fourth place in the sprint.

Wallace has been in top form on the velodrome for TT and was a member of the 2024 Junior Pan American Track Cycling Championships team that won eight medals in Lima, Peru in June. At the Pan Am Junior Champs, Wallace took home silver medals in both the 500-meter time trial and sprint, as well as a bronze medal in the keirin competition.

Wallace also shone on home soil last August, taking silver in the keirin and bronze in the 500-meter time trial at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Wallace is coached by two-time Olympian Njisane Phillip, who congratulated the young man on social media.

“Her (Makaira's) story is made for Trinidad and Tobago,” wrote Phillip. “Thank you for letting me be a part of this journey, enjoy it!”

“Look what you have accomplished on the track in less than two years. The world is watching!”

Endurance rider Jadian Neaves, who won two medals at the Pan Am Junior Champs, finished eighth in the men's omnium event after collecting a total of 76 points in the scratch, tempo, elimination and points races. The omnium event was won by Belgian Matijs Van Strijthem, who collected 112 points, narrowly beating Ashlin Barry of the USA, who had to settle for silver with 111 points. Australia's Alexander Hewes took the bronze medal with 102 points.

The Junior Track World Championships end on August 25th.