The presence of women’s examples in sport is key for even the smallest to emulate their achievements and want to be a reference in life. It is the best engine for continued growth inis the case of Kirsten Landman. of Kwa Zur Natal (South Africa), He grew up in the world of motorcycling in his home country and was inspired by rider Laia Sanz from Corvera de Llobregato to break the mold. He did it by fighting every stereotype about gas, ignoring the many people who told him that what he wanted was impossible. and make history, Dakar across Africa.

of Dakar It is a race in which many seek important answers and narrow the chances of others living to the maximum. landman (August 5, 1991). I found her at the bivouac in the afternoon. Shubaya (Saudi Arabia), laying on the ground, under a motorcycle, to go out the next day in search of her goal of fixing the machine and reaching the target.The purest motorcycle in its class. Original by Motul (Unassisted, at the end of each stage you fix your bike yourself and sleep in a tent. Become the first African woman to complete the Dakar on a motorcycle in 2020, then with help. But for Landman, these achievements are more important. proof of life. To understand it, it is essential to understand its history.

“I almost died, it was a miracle”

“It all started when I was little. My cousin was given his first bike when he was seven. I was eight at the time and fell in love with it. I asked him to buy me one, and then he bought it for me. “Pee Wee 80”. In that moment, my life changed. In fact, I don’t remember my life before that bike. I was eight years old and life was just beginning. It was just love when I was little, but it became my career. “, describes Landman in this newspaper. From that moment on, his dream became clear. When he left school, they gave him another motorcycle and told him he had to find someone to sponsor him to compete. He made it, but in 2013 his life was coming to an end. At a race in Botswana, he suffered a catastrophe that changed everything.

“I fell in the bush and it took them an hour and a half to find me. I went to the hospital at noon and was prescribed morphine to ease the pain. The doctor told me that he knew exactly what was going on with me through some blood tests that another doctor ordered me to do. It was hurting my pancreas and small intestine. I almost diehe pointed out.

36 hours later they performed a very complicated operation on him. It took 24 hours to clean me.So it was in business the whole time. All my organs were affected, my heart stopped and I had to be put on life support. I was comatose. I had surgery in South Africa and I was lucky. If I had had surgery in Botswana, I don’t think I would have survived. It’s a miracle. Doctors told me it was a miracle. ”was added to MD while repairing his motorcycle.

“Every organ was affected, my heart stopped. I was in a coma. Doctors told me it was a miracle.”

Kirsten Landman

Dakar as shock therapy

Then another person would have left the motorcycle. But Kirsten she didn’t understand life without two wheels. “I feel like I can’t live without riding my bike. I know there’s more to life than bikes, but this is my life and my passion. That’s what makes me happy.”That doesn’t mean you don’t feel fear. “I’m always scared. Every time I have a match, I feel very scared. It’s scary when you feel like you’re out of control and you race without a route.”he added.because He chose Dakar for shock therapy.

“Why did you decide to participate in Dakar? The main reason is that I wanted to overcome my fear of speed. After my accident, I told myself I would never race without a route. After a while, I realized that I had to face it. What could be better than attending Dakar? That’s why I joined in 2020 and have improved a lot since then. I wanted to test myself more this year. I’ve always followed the Dakar from home, so I wanted to make the most of the experience.

Laia Sanz, her inspiration: ‘She’s the best ever’

“It was a great experience. It was very hard. I cried a lot at some stages. I was frustrated. It was very hard for me, I will suffer, but when I cross the finish line I think it will be worth it,” concluded Landman before the MD, who will forever be a big Ria Sans fan. I declared. Catalan is her inspiration and an example to follow.

“There is no one like Laia in our generation. What she has achieved is incredible. She will be in the top 10 in Dakar…she is a champion and that is not normal. she is the best ever. She’s a great person. He is kind and he always makes time for you. If you message him, he will reply. I learned from her that anything is possible. Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean anything, I can compete like a boy. “ He was happy to have achieved a goal that was considered impossible in his country. “During my career, many people have told me I’m not going to succeed. But everything those people did was my motivation to achieve it.

“There is only one Laia. It is unbelievable what she has achieved. She is in the top 10 in the Dakar… She is a champion and it is not normal. She is the best ever. I am from her I learned something. It’s possible.

Kirsten Landman

“I grew up watching pilots like Laia, and now I feel they influence girls in my country as well. I was the first rider in South Africa to be sponsored by a team, and now they sponsor girls.” We want to be a role model to dream of. pioneer.