Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine January 2018 | Page 120

About when she got into cycling
I’ve always been around cycling. I guess seeing
my Dad ride and travelling with him all over
Mexico racing, made me see just how enjoyable
life can be if you live it doing something you
love. I got my very first road bike when I was in
standard five (7th grade), at the age of 12. By the
time I was 13, I was racing in Mexico with the male
junior cyclists. Shortly after, some high school
races were organized in Belize City and I raced in
those as well. I would ride the female race as a
warm up and then ride the male race and always
place in the top five. At that time, Melvin Tillett,
Francisco Flores Jr and Miguel Leal were my
biggest competitors. I rode my first elite female
race with the then Belize Cycling Association at
age 16 back in 2006. Presently, I race at home and
all over Mexico. I work an 8-5 job and somehow
manage to train a minimum of 15 hours a week; I
consider myself a “professional amateur” if there is
such a thing.
About cycling as a sport in Belize
Cycling is the third most popular sport in Belize.
We are known for the longest one day race in the
Western Hemisphere, Holy Saturday Cross Country
Classic. This race brings a lot of foreigners to the
country and many Belizeans living abroad come
back home around Easter time specifically for
this race. We have over 300 registered cyclists
in maybe six different age categories. In female
cycling however, our numbers have dwindled over
the last couple of years. Currently, I’m trying to
get more female cyclist interested in the sport by
recruiting them from hosting high school races
and other events for youths ages 18 and under.
About other things she involved with
My job requires me to be involved with the
five disciplines we offer to the Primary Schools;
football, basketball, volleyball, softball and track
& field. I plan and coordinate tournaments and
sporting events for the primary school kids across
the country.
About her sports icons
I can proudly say that in cycling, I have a family
of heroes. My dad and my 3 brothers – Brandon,
Riis and Yan – have impacted my cycling career in
one way or the other. They have all shared in the
family’s passion for cycling, being determined to
be their best and achieving the best, as well as
being top notch in their respective categories.
My older brother, Brandon, placed 4th in the
2017 Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic,
Belize’s biggest cycling event. My two younger
brothers are now at university - one is on his way
to becoming a doctor and the other, a lawyer.
About some of her memorable
sporting moments
One of my most memorable sporting event was
when I won the Vuelta de Yucatan in Merida,
Mexico; a two day, two stage tour. I travelled by
myself via bus from Belize City to Merida. I stayed
with a friend there. I don’t do much time trial
training so I wasn’t confident in winning the first
stage of the tour, however I told myself just go out
there and ride as hard as you can, maybe if you
finish within thirty seconds of the first place, you
still have a shot at making the final podium. The
time trial started and I did just that, went as hard
as I could. Before the start of the second stage, I
was wearing the leader’s jersey…in the lead by
only one second. I rode the second stage doing
everything possible to keep the jersey, the race
came down to a sprint finish and I won, raising
both hands in triumph. Winning both stages of
a tour, riding alone against teams, for me at the
time, was like winning the lotto. I was overjoyed!
I dedicated the win to my Dad, I travelled all over
Mexico with him from a very young age and now
being the one actually racing and winning on his
birthday, felt great.