Njisane Phillip believes T&T’s improved teamwork under new technical director Erin Hartwell will boost its medal chances in the men’s track cycling team sprint.
“Before, it was every man for himself,” Phillip said. “We were just bumping heads and going at each other - it was all-out war. But I’m real happy with everything now.
“It’s a lot more organised, more professional. We have a lot more staff organisation.”
T&T skipped the World Track Cycling Championships in March to focus on the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, where it is the fourth-ranked entrant in the team sprint.
The team, comprised of Phillip, Nicholas Paul and Kwesi Browne, had its last test at January’s Track Cycling World Cup event in Belarus, where Phillip set a national record in the standing lap to lead the trio to eighth place.
“We surpassed our expectations. I’m trying to break the record here again,” said Phillip, who will again be the top local cyclist at the Games. “We’re going in all guns blazing. Hopefully we can jump up on the podium.”
Phillip has been a pioneer for cycling in T&T. With two new stadiums, including a national cycling centre with a 250m indoor track, T&T will continue to improve.
He said: “I opened a lot of doors for cyclists,” he said. “It was hard for me, but since I came into the game in 2008 we developed a lot in the country. These next couple of years we’ll be able to see what Trinidad has to offer the sport of cycling.”
Phillip began cycling at age nine as a bonding exercise with his father.
“He wasn’t there when I was younger. He lived in Miami. So when I went to see him, he would ride, and I would ride a BMX.”
A new father himself, Phillip has added motivation to perform at the Games.
“I have to provide for someone else now,” he said.
