Gene Samuel

{{short description|Trinidad and Tobago cyclist}}

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{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Gene Samuel

| image = Gene Samuel.JPG

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| nickname = G.E. “Good Egg”

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|10|15|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Trinidad and Tobago

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{{MedalSport | Men's cycling}}

{{MedalCountry | {{TRI}} }}

{{MedalCompetition|Pan American Games}}

{{MedalGold| 1991 Havana | 1.000m Time Trial}}

{{MedalSilver| 1987 Indianapolis | 1.000m Time Trial}}

{{MedalBronze| 1995 Mar del Plata | 1.000m Time Trial}}

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Eugene "Gene” Samuel (born October 15, 1960) is a semi-retired track cyclist and road cyclist from Trinidad and Tobago, who represented his native country at four consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1984{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sa/gene-samuel-1.html |title=Gene Samuel Olympic Results |accessdate=26 May 2015 |work=Sports Reference |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911031531/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sa/gene-samuel-1.html |archivedate=11 September 2015 |df=dmy }} where he placed fourth, missing the bronze medal by 4/100ths of a second. He won a gold, a silver and a bronze medal in the Men's 1,000m Time Trial at three different Pan American Games. Samuel is a well-known bunch race track cyclist for his never-say-die competitive attitude and his warrior spirit, hence his nickname, "Geronimo". He broke the World Professional record in the 1000 metre time-trial in Cali, Colombia, in 1992. He was a World Champion bronze medallist in the 1000 metre time trial in 1991 at the World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, a few days after winning the gold medal at the Pan American Games and breaking the track record in Havana, Cuba. He won double gold medals at the 1986 CAC Games in Santo Domingo and broke the 1000m track record in the process. He has three times been Sportsman of the Year in Trinidad and Tobago and also was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

He was awarded the National Award of the Chaconia Silver Medal for long and meritorious service to country in sport. He was named as one of the top 100 sportsmen in the 20th century for Trinidad and Tobago. He was named as one of the top 50 Legends in Sport for the 50th Independence Celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago. He has won an unprecedented over 65 Elite National Championship Track Champion Titles.

He also owns and manages a cycling shop in Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Trinidad, called Geronimo's Cycle & Sport Ltd. He coaches and trains with a local cycling team and is still avidly racing with great success amongst the much younger, professional elite cyclists.

On August 26, 2011 Samuel was inducted into the Trexlertown Velodrome ("T-Town") Hall of Fame in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania, in the United States.

He is of Portuguese-Trinidadian descent.{{Cite web |last=Freitas |first=Jo-Anne S. Ferreira and Dean de |date=2018-05-12 |title=Calvinadage Newsletter (July 2001) |url=https://www.ttportuguese.com/single-post/2018/05/12/calvinadage-newsletter-july-2001 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Portuguese of T&T |language=en}}