TWO-TIME Pan Am gold medallist, Christopher Sellier, is retiring from professional cycling at the age of just 26. Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Sellier said he has been contemplating putting down his bike and walking away for the past two years due to the lack of financial support he has been receiving.
“For the past couple years, getting funding to travel abroad (to train) has been near impossible. I’ve been performing below my par and getting more and more demotivated,” he said.
The 13-time national champ noted that there are many challenges facing the sport in TT which has further cemented his position to retire.
“It’s really hard training in Trinidad. TT will never produce a world champion who trains in Trinidad. People might think I’m being a hater but it’s true. That’s why our top cyclist Njisane Phillip doesn’t train in Trinidad. Even my best performances came when I was training abroad,” he pointed out.
Sellier also had some harsh words for the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) who he believes has done nothing for the sport locally.
“The Federation is a joke, it’s really a waste of time. If they don’t do anything then cycling is going nowhere.
“Cycling has been one of our most successful sports at the Pan Am level but we don’t even have a proper track and that’s the basics,” he continued.
Sellier revealed that all these combined weighed on his mind and made the difficult choice of leaving the sport he loves one that was necessary.
“Of course walking away from something I’ve been doing for over ten years was hard. My family have been supportive because they know the problems I face,” he declared.
With his career over at the age of 26, Sellier lamented that he was not able to represent his country at the Olympics but didn’t not rule out a possible return if the problems he cited are corrected.
“I have no regrets but I always wanted to go to the Olympics. I still wanted to go to Rio (2016 Olympics) but it’s hard to do that training in Trinidad. You can never say never (about returning to the sport) because I’m 26 and the best cyclists in the world are in the their thirties,” he explained.
Asked what he will do now that cycling is no longer part of his life, Sellier was uncertain of his future but is contemplating going back to school.
He did express gratitude to Beacon Insurance for their aid over the last 5-6 years as well as the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee president Larry Romany for his belief in him.
“I thank all the fans who cheered for me, in my victories, and my defeats,” he concluded.
By Stephon Nicholas
Source: www.newsday.co.tt