Extreme Mountain Biking Success

Extreme Mountain Biking Success At NAISAK, we are proud of the achievements of our students both inside and outside the classroom. We are delighted to celebrate the success of one of our Year 10 students, Aditya P. who is an up-and-coming cyclist and mountain biker on the extreme mountain biking scene in Qatar. At NAISAK, we are proud of the achievements of our students both inside and outside the classroom. We are delighted to celebrate the success of one of our Year 10 students, Aditya P. who is an up-and-coming cyclist and mountain biker on the extreme mountain biking scene in Qatar. NAISAK PE teacher Ms. Davis spoke with Aditya recently to find out more about how he got involved in the sport, what motivates him, the importance of family support.

Tell me about your sport, what is it exactly that you do?

I am a mountain biker, it’s an extreme sport filled with adrenaline and endurance. It is a very fun sport and really good for fitness. Mountain biking includes riding and climbing steep hills and going down rocky and technical descent.

What got you interested in mountain biking and why did you start to compete?

I loved cycling when I was a child and used to cycle lots with my friends. I then started to cycle longer distances and realized I was pretty good at it. My dad encouraged me to start competing, he loves mountain biking too and he introduced the sport to me. I liked it and carried on from there. I recently started competing in road cycling too and have been competing at the Ashghal Time Trials, mostly because there have not been any competitions for mountain biking recently. It helps keep up my fitness.

What do you most enjoy about mountain biking/cycling?

I really like mountain biking because I like the fact that it’s just me and nature, I love to take in the views and scenery when I am mountain biking, it’s nice.

What has been your biggest success so far?

I have been undefeated in my age group since 2018.

Who has been your biggest influence?

I really like Nino Schurter from Switzerland. He is the 7x world champion in mountain biking. He motivates me to be as good as I can be.

What advice would you give to students who enjoy cycling and may want to try either mountain biking or road cycling?

If you like going outdoors, socializing with others, it’s definitely a good thing to do. There are lots of clubs in Qatar that have great coaches. I compete for a team Never Wasted, it is linked to a big mountain bike shop here in Qatar and that is who I cycle for.

How do you keep yourself motivated to want to keep training and competing?

I know it’s going to be hard to stay consistent, but my mindset is one of, ‘it’s going to be worth it’. I enjoy being outside rather than stuck indoors so I do not mind. I enjoy it so it’s not difficult for me.

As you said previously your dad enjoys mountain biking and he encouraged you to take up the sport. How do your parents support you?

My dad is a big support for my hobby as he makes sure I have everything I need and takes me to competitions etc. I don’t really need the encouragement from him any more to want to train or go and compete but he gives me the encouragement and support when I need it, like if I am feeling tired. He used to come train with me but I am too fast now, so I usually train on my own or with my friends from my club. He still comes to my competitions so gives me a lot of support there.

 

Congratulations Aditya on your success, we’re looking forward to hearing about more of your achievements in the future!