IT was heartbreak for Trinidad and Tobago cyclist Nicholas Paul as he missed out on a spot in the semifinals of the men’s sprint event after a violation cost him at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, on Thursday morning (TT time).

Paul, the world record holder in the event, faced Denis Dmitriev of the Russia Olympic Committee in the best-of-three quarterfinal showdown.

Paul won the first race comfortably after sprinting away from Dmitriev.

In the second race Paul won initially and thought he had booked his place in the semifinals, but the TT cyclist was relegated for a violation.

The result sheet said, “Relegation for not holding their line during the final sprint.”

It was now all on the line in the third and deciding ride. Dmitriev made a move on the inside and blew past Paul to advance after the TT cyclist made a tactical error.

Earlier, Paul sealed his place in the quarterfinals after defeating hometown boy Yuta Wakimoto. In the event the cyclists make three laps around the track.

Paul then qualified to ride in the 5-8 final which ranks cyclists from fifth to eighth. Paul finished second, which meant he ended sixth overall in the event.