Young cyclist wins at Youth Games

Pebane is one of 15 female cyclists at the academy and was the top rider in her category selected to represent South Africa at the second African Youth Games held in Gabarone, Botswana at the end of May. The games saw 2 500 athletes from 54 African nations competing in 21 sporting codes.

“It was the most difficult race I’ve ever done,” Pebane said. “It was very hot on the day and the course was quite rocky, but in the end all the hard work and training paid off.”

Pebane aims to finish her matric with great results this year so that she can pursue a career in sports management. She will also continue to fulfil her role as girls’ captain at the DMA and hone her skills on the bike. Pebane said she loves cycling because it keeps her physically and mentally fit.

“When I’m on my bike I forget about the bad stuff I’ve experienced in my past,” she said.

“Cycling keeps me stable and focused on my education. It gives me the inspiration that I can do anything, anywhere, wherever I want to, and it helps me to motivate other young girls from my community to have the same dreams.”

Andre Ross, chairperson of the DMA said that Pebane is an inspiration of epic proportions. “The turnaround she made in her life since joining DMA, in spite of some of the personal challenges she has faced, is nothing short of amazing,” he said.

“She has become a key role model for the other girls at the academy and in the Diepsloot community as a whole, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to develop and grow from here.”