From barista to World No 2
ASK Tracey Hannah what’s brewing, and she can tell you that she has become the World No 2 downhill mountain biker from full-time barista.
Having made coffee for seven years at a restaurant in Cairns, Australia, 29-year-old Tracey managed to bike her way up in BMX.
“We (Tracey and her brother Michael “Mick” Hannah) spent a lot of time working to get to where we are today.
“Before that, I was making coffee for seven years, and also doing different jobs that have to be flexible with riding,” said Tracey.
“He (Mick) worked on a banana farm and a potato farm in America. You got to work pretty hard and train and it’s not easy, so you have to prune yourself.”
Tracey said had she and Mick received governmental support, they wouldn’t have it as tough as they did, which drove the siblings to work from the ground up.
This factor, said Tracey, is what Malaysians need in order to grow the sport and be successful as a professional career.
Tracey and World No 14 Mick have been invited to Kuala Lumpur by professional team, Polygon, for the Kranky Kiara event which flags off at 8.30am today at Taman Rimba Kiara in Taman Tun.
The duo spent yesterday morning at the BMX track in Selayang to meet about 30 teenagers and spread the message about getting involved in the sport rather than taking part in street races.
Tracey, who is on her first visit to Malaysia, said besides the culture and people, she loves nasi lemak.
“We’re always eating and always full. That (nasi lemak) was cool and the tastiest thing,” said Tracey who added she eats it without the sambal. Farah Azharie