Mannie Heymans, Namibian Sportsman of the Year in 2000, will launch the 2014 edition of The Namibian Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Classic on Thursday, 21 August. The country’s lead cycling event takes place on 11 and 12 October.
Heymans was Namibia’s road cycling champion 11 times while he was the national mountain bike champion five times.
He won a silver medal at the 1995 All African Time Trail Championships, became African champion in 1999 and retained the title for the following two years.
Other accolades include a win at the inaugural Tans-Alp Challenge in 1998 and again in 2004. He also scooped the winning spot at the inaugural Cape Epic 2004 in South Africa.
In 2008 Heymans enjoyed 16 podium finishes and won nine races. He was Namibia’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Putting his passion for cycling to further productive use, Heymans now holds a leadership position at national level in the administration of cycling as a sport.
Organized annually by service club, Rotary Club Windhoek as its main community fundraiser, The Namibian and retail chain Pick ‘n Pay are lead sponsors of the event.
Cycling club Windhoek Pedal Power provides technical support for the organisation and management of the popular event, which is likely to attract more than 1 800 cyclists this year.
Proceeds from this community fundraising event of Rotary Club Windhoek, has over the past 16 years helped many organisations, institutions and needy causes in the capital city and elsewhere around Namibia.
Projects which have recently been funded include distribution of more than 600 dictionaries as part of a literacy promotion initiative; upgrading of the kitchen and ablution facilities at a school that caters for children of farm workers; distribution of 50 wheelchairs; hosting an outing for 37 senior citizens; running of Adventure into Citizenship for Grade 11 students from 19 high schools; and an outing to an environmental and conservation centre for a primary school in a southern town, among others.
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