Nicholas Dlamini has qualified to represent South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics, and we couldn’t be prouder. His journey has been an inspiring one.
Cape Town, South Africa (08 June 2021) – Nicholas Dlamini is from Capricorn informal settlement in Cape Town. He overcame hunger and abuse of power to earn his place with Team South Africa.
Nicholas, who goes by Nic, was asked to join the South African Olympic cycling team in late May. By joining the team, it looks like South Africa could earn a cycling medal for the first time in decades. This is great news as it means the team is a strong one. Nic will be joining Daryl Impey and Ryan Gibbons for the Men’s Road Race.
The men will race over 234 km with an elevation gain of 4865 metres during the men’s road race. A total of 130 men will take part in the road race.
“The men’s course takes an extra lap around a circuit that climbs Mount Fuji as well as the Mikuni Pass, while the women’s race will not – instead only visiting the Yamabushi Tunnel and the Kagosaka Pass (which the men will also climb).” – Olympics 2020
Nic is ready for the challenge. On what life was like growing up in a township while dreaming of being a cyclist, he shared his thoughts on Twitter to inspire others to live their dreams.
“It was common to go to bed without food. On school holidays I’d go train on an empty stomach and hit a hunger bonk and stop on the side of the road and start eating figs. I never thought of an excuse not to train”
He has faced his share of setbacks in his career. In late 2019, he was the cyclist who had his arm broken by two rangers at the Table Mountain Nature Reserve. It was a harrowing video to watch, and thankfully, Nic has recovered and is back on the road.
It is unclear whether the Olympics will take place this year, and there are many opinions on either side of the argument. We understand that people have their thoughts on the matter. However, we can still celebrate our incredible athletes and their dreams.
Whatever the opinion, we hope these athletes get to live their dreams, that they get to compete in a safe and energy-filled environment. Our sports stars deserve their chance, and to that, we say best of luck Team South Africa. We hope your dreams come true!
The Olympics is scheduled to take place from 23 July to 8 August 2021. We will update should that change.