Consistency key for national BMX champion
Cape Town -- National 2021 BMX champion and top-ranked rider Wanga Moshani attributes his success to ambition, diligence and consistency.
Cycling SA BMX commission director Margot Gerber said the Velokhaya Life Cycling Academy rider is currently the national champion for the 16-and-over open class division. She said that Moshani has shown great potential and progression over the years.
The multi-award winning cyclist from Khayelitsha said that his love for riding began when he was a child and he took to sports as a means to better his life, travel and meet new people.
“I started racing Nationals in 2010, when I was 11-years-old and recently started racing World Championships which are the biggest tournaments. I started racing in Nationals in 2010 and competed with international riders. I’ve won several medals and awards since then. From 2019, I began racing elite, which is top-class pro,” he said.
Moshani said that his late brother was the one who pushed him to join Velokhaya Life Cycling Academy in 2008 and he has since developed a passion for the sport. Moshani said that he aims to compete in European tournaments in the near future. He added that he is likely to compete in the World Championships in France, next year.
Moshani said that he attributes his success to discipline, hard work and consistency. Showcasing dozens of medals and trinkets, Moshani said that BMX had afforded him the opportunity to travel extensively, see different places and meet different people.
Moshani recommended and encouraged sport development projects similar to Velokhaya in other townships as a development strategy. He emphasised that sports has the capacity to mould and discipline young people, while providing opportunities in disadvantaged areas.
Moshani’s mother, Zanele Magadlela, said that her son began his BMX journey when he was 10. She said that the bike that she saw as a toy, quickly became his biggest passion.
“After I bought him his first bike, I saw that it meant more than a hobby to him, the bike really became his best friend and the thing that mattered to him the most. I supported this dream of pursuing BMX professionally because it didn't clash with school work, but most importantly it gave him joy,” she said.
Manager at Velokhaya Life Cycling Academy, Xolisa Makubalo, said Moshani is the top racer at the club and is a potential candidate to represent South Africa in the World Championships in France.
“He is passionate, dedicated, and hard-working. Passion alone cannot take you far, he makes sure that he puts in the work. It’s easy to take someone like Wanga to higher levels because he listens. He believes in his coaches and believes in himself,” Makubalo said.
Weekend Argus