Peckham’s medal-winning Olympian Kye Whyte returns to Burgess Park this weekend to compete at the BMX Race National Series held at The BMX track, on Saturday June 18 and Sunday 19.
The 22-year-old silver-medalist will be joined by elite women’s rider, Shani Harris-Sherwood, and Peckham‘s first world champion, Quillan Isidore.
Run by British Cycling, the UK’s main governing body for cycle sport, the free-to-attend competition will see over 600 riders compete in front of 1,500 spectators.
Michael Pusey, founder of Peckham BMX Club, has known Kye since he was just three-years-old and helped coach him into the world star he is today.
Speaking to the News, he said: “He’ll win this weekend 100%. He’s one of the most looked at riders in the world right now.”
He said that even as a toddler, he could tell Kye was a “special” talent and believes he’s close to becoming the world number one.
Michael Pusey established the Peckham BMX Club back in 2004. Back then, it was a tiny track on a piece of wasteland off Commercial Way, Peckham.
The club was a huge success and in 2013, Michael worked with the council to open the state-of-the art track that Burgess Park has today.
The park’s extreme sports facilities are expected to increase even further, with the council planning to build a new skate bowel alongside the track.
As well as hosting competitions and coaching, the track is the home of ‘A Safe House’, a project that helps vulnerable people attain independence through BMX.
The track is also used for children’s cycling lessons, school holiday clubs, birthday parties and women-only cycling sessions.
Cllr Alice Macdonald, Cabinet Member for Equalities, Neighbourhoods and Leisure, said: “We are delighted to be hosting this exciting event. Our BMX track, excellent coaches and the Peckham BMX Club, work together to give local children an opportunity to join a community, learn valuable life skills and have fun.
“It is wonderful that local children can come along to watch riders like Kye Whyte, who trained in Peckham like them, and have risen to national and Olympic heights. We wish Kye and all of the local BMX riders the very best of luck in this competition.”
As well as the competition itself, there will be food stalls, bike workshops and merchandise stores at the Burgess Park BMX Track.
More information on the opportunities available at the Burgess Park race track is available here: https://www.southwark.gov.uk/leisure-and-sport/local-leisure-and-sport-venues/the-bmx-track-london
Find out more about the BMX National Series event here: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/britishbmxseries/article/bbs20131125-bmx-2014-British-Cycling-BMX-Series—Schedule-0