Just some years in the past, Pump For Peace constructed a pumptrack in Khothalang Leuta’s hometown of Roma, Lesotho – a mile excessive within the small landlocked nation close to the southeastern tip of Africa. Within the ensuing years, Leuta taught herself methods to trip it, acquired quicker than everybody else within the village, and earned herself a shot to compete on the Purple Bull UCI Pump Monitor World Championships in Lisbon.
Khothalang Leuta: ‘The Quickest Lady within the Village’ pump observe
all c. Purple Bull, picture by Tyrone Bradley
Trying again on some enjoyable Purple Bull tales that slipped previous me in 2021, I came across the story of 18-year-old Khothalang Leuta, aka ‘The Quickest Lady within the Village’. We’ve seen Pump Monitor Worlds pop up over the previous few years as Purple Bull assist made pumptrack racing international, incomes it a UCI title. However apparently, I’d additionally missed the Pump For Peace initiative, constructing pump tracks in sudden locations and provoking riders who won’t in any other case take up bike driving for sport.
And that’s how Leuta acquired her racing begin in Lesotho.
picture by Tyrone Bradley
Having ridden bikes since age 7, she mentioned she was all the time the quickest woman in her village. However when the Velosolutions Pump For Peace pump observe was carried out it gave her an outlet to spice up her self-confidence, driving the shared bikes of the native membership on the observe, after which turning into “quicker than the boys in her village”, too.
picture by Tyrone Bradley
Telling her story, Purple Bull says, “it’s not typical to see girls driving bikes in Lesotho, however since a pump observe was inbuilt 2017 in her hometown, Leuta was entranced.” She mentioned, “I used to be the primary woman to trip the pump observe within the village, however now I’m quicker than the boys. I let my driving do the speaking.”
Leuta gained key Purple Bull-hosted nationwide races on her residence observe in 2019 & 2020 that earned her entry to compete at Worlds in 2020, however a worldwide pandemic had different issues in thoughts.
picture by Dan Griffiths
Lastly this previous October, the 2021 Purple Bull UCI Pump Monitor World Championships made it to Portugal. And in her first flight and ‘huge journey’ out of Africa noticed Leuta make her strategy to Portugal to compete.
picture by Hugo Silva
Whereas she didn’t win Worlds, coming in a bit of greater than 8 seconds behind the quickest girl Aiko Gommers, Leuta posted a stable exhibiting, and had a blast doing it…
picture by Tyrone Bradley
…and performing some cool Purple Bull photoshooting, too.
picture by Dan Griffiths
Plus, she’s now acquired her personal custom-built brilliant yellow-green Specialised P3 grime soar bike to carry again residence to indicate the boys methods to go quick – the place she opens up the native observe each Thursday & Sunday to get extra youngsters eager about driving. “I all the time wish to encourage children, I really feel comfortable that they assist me. I wish to do extra for them to set a great instance.”
Pump For Peace is a worldwide non-profit undertaking by observe builder Velosolutions, along with Specialised, Crankbrothers, Troy Lee Designs & Vittoria to construct pump tracks in underprivileged communities to encourage a brand new era to trip bikes & get into ‘motion sports activities’.
c. Pump For Peace
“Irrespective of your race, gender, or faith, biking has the facility to unite communities world wide, #pumpforpeace was based on this perception and that by making the game extra accessible we may help promote a extra tolerant future.”
picture by Tyrone Bradley
The Lesotho observe was the primary Pump For Peace undertaking, completed again in early 2017. They’ve since constructed 8 tracks in 4 nations and have no less than 6 extra within the works now. Discover out extra and assist them at: PumpForPeace.com
