Modern Cyclist Magazine Issue 1, September 2014 | Page 41

Diepsloot Academy
nominated for award

stop press MC

The DIEPSLOOT MOUNTAIN BIKE ACADEMY (DMA) has
been shortlisted for The Murray & Roberts 2014 Jack
Cheetham Award.
The DMA was established in 2006 with the objective of
providing opportunities to underprivileged youth from the
Diepsloot community in Gauteng through cycling and life
skills programmes.
Based at Northern Farm, a commercial mountain bike
and trail running facility on the R114, the DMA’s sports
development and youth empowerment programme
provides its 70 members with educational support, access to
mentorship and personal development, and opportunities to
participate in recreational and competitive cycling activities.
On the competitive side of the sport, the academy’s biggest
success story is William Mokgopo, who was recently signed to
the only UCI registered mountain bike team in South Africa,
the Kargo Pro MTB Team. Following in Mokgopo’s footsteps,
Lebo Pebane is also making a name for herself with recent
attendance at the African Youth Games in Botswana and
the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in China.
The Jack Cheetham Award is for sports development
projects in the able-bodied category. The award recognises
the character and ideals of Jack Cheetham, a former
director of Murray & Roberts and captain of the South
African cricket team in the 1950s.

Diepsloot Mountain Biking Academy
rider Lebo Pebane took part in the junior
women’s category at the SA National MTB
Cross Country Championships recently.

41