By Neto Baptiste
National cyclist Tajhe Browne was among three junior riders and two administrators who have benefited from an International Cycling Union (UCI) Training Camp held at the body’s WCC Continental Development Satellite in Couva, Trinidad and Tobago, from July 1-7.
Browne, who is the country’s National Junior Champion, was joined by fellow cyclists Jomari King and Aiden Tonge. Additionally, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cycling Federation (ABCF), St Clair Williams, and veteran rider and mechanic, Omari King, participated in the level two coaching and mechanic courses respectively.
Speaking of his experience on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, Browne said he came away from the one-week camp a better informed cyclist.
“Last week was a very informative camp and I’ve learnt a lot of things I wouldn’t have learnt if I wouldn’t have gone, so I take everything I got from last week in full stride and hope I can integrate it into what I am going to learn later,” he said.
While in T&T for the camp, the cyclists also competed in the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation Road Challenge Series with Browne finishing second overall. Tonge was 49th in that event while Jomari did not finish the race.
Meanwhile, Omari King who took part in the level two UCI mechanic course, hailed the initiative as eye-opening.
“There were a lot of things about bikes I didn’t know because we have these equipment and there are some things I learnt about them that we’re not familiar with and we had no idea so I learnt a lot and I am planning to continue my studies in mechanic,” he said.
Williams, who successfully represented the twin-island state during the level two coaching course, underscored the importance of the UCI event in ensuring that officials from smaller territories are fully equipped with the latest knowledge and skills.
“From a coaching standpoint, it’s getting to nail down the technical aspects and the terminologies and probably you would have had it already but you just needed to put it into perspective and this is what we need to make sure we’re on the same level and on par with other countries that would have been beneficiaries of things like these,” he said.
The primary objective of the camp was to provide young cyclists with a platform to hone their skills and knowledge in road cycling. Emphasis was placed on fostering camaraderie among participants while providing them with insights from seasoned coaches.
