Youth Day Cycling Event A Success
Bitterly cold conditions did not dampen the spirits of the young cyclists competing in the Youth Day cycling event at the Killarney Race Track on 16 June, which saw plenty of exciting time lap racing for the under 11, 13, 15, 17 and19 competitors.
The windy conditions required tactical cycling in the races, which ranged from 30 to 90 minutes depending on the age group. The Nedbank Sports Trust Cycling Development Programme had 20 participants in all age groups from four of its participating high schools in the Cape Town area – Ocean View, Beacon Hill, Oval North and Matthew Goniwe. Asakhe Dyani from Matthew Goniwe gained third place in the under-19 category.
“It was pretty hard racing with tailwinds driving us so fast and then headwinds towards the finish,” commented Dyani.
The event is an important occasion for competitors to show what they are made of, as selectors from the Western Province Cycling Association were present to select cyclists for the Western Province team that will compete at the Youth Festival in Oudtshoorn from 11 to 13 July. All selected cyclists are awarded provincial colours.
“We’d be very happy to have 10 of our cyclists selected for Oudtshoorn from this event,” said Mike Tippett, Manager of The Sports Trust Cycling Development Programme. “We are anticipating that 34 of our cyclists will be selected for Oudtshoorn, including 10 from Western Province, 20 from the West Coast and four from the Winelands.”
The Nedbank Sports Trust Cycling Development Programme has been funded by Nedbank since 2005. The programme currently supplies bikes and supports the training and participation of up to 150 cyclists annually in 10 high schools in the Western Cape, including the Cape Metro (predominantly the Cape Flats), West Coast and Winelands.
“In all our schools, we have a 3-year planning schedule and by the end of 2024, we aim to have 200 participating cyclists,” said Tippett.
“The programme pursues several core aims,” explained Tobie Badenhorst, Head of Group Sponsorships and Cause Marketing at Nedbank. “It encourages learners to enjoy the sport, live a healthy lifestyle and do well at school, and it identifies and nurtures cycling talent during and beyond their school years. There is a place for everyone in the programme, and hopefully, many of the participants will continue to cycle throughout their lives.”
The Youth Day event also commemorated the June 16 youth uprisings in Soweto in 1976 against the Apartheid regime, while celebrating our present-day youth, their potential, and their achievements.
“It is fitting to quote Madiba, who believed in the transforming power of sport,” Badenhorst added.
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire and unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”
