Passport to new experiences

I have travelled around the world and I have been given opportunities that I never expected

Anita Zenani, 19 BMX cyclist

“OUR success is not determined by who succeeds in the world of cycling, but who succeeds in the world.”

So says Velokhaya managing director Sipho Mano, while hailing the talents of 19-year-old Anita Zenani from Site B in Khayelitsha.

Zenani has just completed her third year in psychology at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and recently placed third in South Africa for BMX biking.

Velokhaya is a not-for-profit organisation in Khayelitsha which provides cycling and educational resources to children in the community.

When Zenani first came to Velokhaya in 2010 she had no experience of biking.

“I did not know how to ride a bike and I kept falling,” she said.

Despite the physical challenge, she persevered.

“I thought, if these guys could do it, why can’t I?”

She opted for BMX biking over road biking as it was a sport that was not popular among her peers.

“I wanted a sport that defined me,” she said.

For Zenani, the benefits of biking extend far beyond physical well-being.

“Biking is a sport that has shown me things I did not know about myself. I have travelled around the world and I have been given opportunities that I never expected,” she said.

Although Velokhaya has seen increased interest from young women in the community, there is still a gender imbalance, with females only accounting for 15 of the organisation’s about 130 members.

Zenani believes a positive message from society will help to encourage more women to join the sport.

“Media needs to show that women have the power and strength to bike. We need to break the boundaries and go into high schools and encourage young women to get involved.”

Zenani’s long-term goal is to become a sport psychologist.