BMX champion Miyanda Maseti is set to make history as the first black woman to represent South African cycling at the Paris Olympics.
When Miyanda received her first bicycle from her father Lonwabo Maseti at age four, she instinctively knew how to control it, prompting him to remove the training wheels the same day.
At the time, no one imagined her natural instinct would make her a leading figure in South Africa’s BMX scene. 15 years later, that moment has led to her being etched into sports history.
In just a few weeks, Miyanda will make history as the first black woman to represent Africa in BMX racing at the Olympic Games in Paris.
“It’s really cool that I can be on that stage, just being myself and giving people something to look forward to,” she said.
According to Daily Maverick, the 18-year-old, who turns 19 on July 26 – the start of the 2024 Paris Olympics – secured her spot by winning the African Continental Championships in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
In April, she obtained gold by outpacing local favourite Hana Taylor and fellow South African Kendall Coombes. The six-time South African champion resides in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni.
Miyanda, who starts studying software engineering in Germany a week after the Games, joins South African BMX racers like Sifiso Nhlapo and Kyle Dodd in qualifying.
After his daughter’s qualification, Lonwabo said, “We started working towards [the Olympic] goal after seeing that there has never been a female athlete from Africa doing BMX who has competed in the Olympics.”
Lonwabo, long his daughter’s manager and coach, reflected on what her journey taught him as a parent. Initially unsure about her following in her older brother Lwando’s BMX footsteps, he now sees her success differently.
“She just loved it from the very first time she went to watch her brother compete. Then she nagged me until I succumbed. I didn’t like her doing the sport, though I did not have a problem with her brother doing it. But I did not like to see her falling and hurting herself.”
Due to inadequate facilities in South Africa for Olympic preparation, Miyanda is training in the Netherlands to ensure she’s fully prepared for her historic Games debut.
“I used to put so much pressure on myself. I used to only need to win, in turn sacrificing the enjoyment. So, I’ve had to learn to enjoy the process, because I kind of hated it,” said Miyanda.
Compiled by Jared Moorgas
First published by Cape Town etc
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