Trinidad and Tobago cyclist Makaira Wallace praised the camaraderie of the women’s sprint team, who won T&T’s first team medal at the Junior Pan American Games, held in August 2025.
T&T won bronze with a team comprising Wallace, Phoebe Sandy, and Kyra Williams.
Wallace medalled three times at the games, winning bronze in the team sprint, Keirin, and individual sprint events.
“It was probably the biggest games I’ve been to in Paraguay. It was a track that I’d been to quite a few times before. So I was used to the track. But I’m really happy with how I performed there and for us to get a medal in the team sprint too, whichwas historic for the women. We’ve never gotten a medal in women’s team sprint at that level, I don’t think. So I’m really proud of that and we worked together really well after being put together quite late and while my individual medals, I’m quite proud. I’m always happy to bring home something for Trinidad and Tobago.”
The cyclist also reflected on her first-time performance at the Bolivarian Games, where she won a Keirin bronze and a sprint silver.
Regarding her performance in the sprint event, the cyclist admitted that she overcame illness in the final rounds.
“It was really last minute, so I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare mentally. But I think I executed really well under that pressure. The competition that was there was competition that I am used to going up against. I knew who I was going to race. I think I executed everything exactly how my coach and I planned. I’m really, really happy with the sprint silver. I got sick on the last day of racing and it was really tough to get through the rounds. But I pushed through. I think the semi-final race was my favourite of the whole event.”