MANNIE Heymans, legendary Namibian cyclist and also president of the Namibian Cycling Federation (NCF), was recently appointed for a second consecutive term to serve as a member of the UCI’s Mountain Bike Commission.
The UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) or International Cycling Union is the world governing body for cycling and competitive cycling events.
The MTB Commission serves in an advisory capacity to the UCI Management Committee, and consists of six members serving a four-year period. The commission advises on regulations and events specific to the mountain bike disciplines.
Apart from the UCI MTB Commission, Heymans was also elected as the MTB representative on the board of the Confederation of African Cycling Federations during 2015.
Heymans took up the sport of cycling in 1987, and has represented Namibia numerous times during his long career as a road and MTB cyclist.
These include representing Namibia at four All Africa Games, and four Commonwealth Games, as well as participating in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics.
At the 2008 Olympic Games, Heymans was the country’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremony.
In total, Heymans has attended five Olympic Games, acting as coach or manager for the Namibian cycling team during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Other achievements include winning the inaugural Trans Alp Mountain Bike stage race in 1998 as well as the first Absa Cape Epic in 2004. Heymans was also Namibia’s Sportsman of the Year in 2000.
During 2012, Heymans was elected as president of the NCF, in which position he is still serving. Heymans also actively supports the NCF’s BMX Early Rider Development Programme, (Kids on Bikes) which was nominated recently in the category Development Programme of the Year Award by the Namibia Sports Commission.
“The Namibian cycling community feels very honoured to have such representation from its own ranks, while it is a great encouragement to the sport of cycling in this country,” the vice president of the NCF, Rolf Adriaan said in a statement.
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