Ballito’s Grassie is getting some air

Flying around the BMX track at speed, 16-year-old Georgina Grassie from Ballito spends almost as much time in the air as she does with her wheels in the dirt.

Grassie claimed top spot in the recent Red Bull Pump Track Race in Kwadabeka, blowing away her competition but not surprising her coach of four years, Tyrone Johns, who said he always expects her to shine.

Grassie is not new to silverware as she is a two-time Protea athlete as well as holding the covetred 2010 world champion’s title.

In June, she is heading to Azerbaijan as a junior elite to see if she can claim another world championship.

“I train between one and two-and-a-half hours daily doing gym sessions, sprints and track sessions – and I love it,” said the home-schooled girl who has been BMXing since she was seven years old.

“My goal is to make it into the Olympics.”

Johns said they were pushing for Tokyo 2020 but that she would still be quite young so if they don’t make it, the focus would shift to the 2024 Olympic Games.

“Georgina is very talented, if she keeps her focus and keeps working hard, I have no doubt she will accomplish her dreams,” he said.

Grassie said she could not have made it this far without the support of her coach, her father Charles and Teagan O’Kief, the family friend who got her onto a BMX in the first place.

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