Written by 05:39 Pro Cycling Story

Ethiopian Champion Hailu: “This is my dream – I only have one opportunity”

When I won the Ethiopian national championships last year, I wanted to share that moment with my mother, but I couldn’t. So, I did the next best thing, I crossed the line, got off my bike and I kissed the ground to dedicate the win to her. It made me feel connected to her.

My name is Hailemelekot and I’m excited to share my dream with you. I only have one opportunity to achieve it and I’d like to tell you why I am chasing it with everything inside of me.

When I was thirteen years old, I used to go around to the cycling races in Ethiopia supporting my favourite team. I was a big fan of the team. When they won, I would lead a lot of people in song. Can you imagine, I am a child but I am leading the crowd in chorus, signing and celebrating the victory.

After a while, they said to me, why don’t you start cycling yourself? Our situation at home was difficult because my brother and I grew up with my mother who was a single parent. She had to raise us on our own so we couldn’t afford to get a bike.

But cycling is huge in Ethiopia and we had so many people come watch the races. For two kilometres there would just be people lined up to see the race. Someone helped me and gave me an idea. I would write a letter about my dream of riding a bike and I would take this letter around to the spectators. One person would give me one Ethiopian birr, then another person would give me another one. I did that every week and after five months I could afford a second-hand bike.

Photos: Oskar Matxin

I have never stopped riding since getting my first bike. A few years ago, a good friend came along from Europe and was looking to help Ethiopian riders. Mikel Gurrxaga saw my talent and helped get me to Europe. I am in Spain now and the life here is so different to Africa. There was so much I had to learn when I got here. Cycling is already a hard sport but I also had to learn the culture and language. Everything is different but I am doing everything possible to succeed because I only have one opportunity.

When I go back to Ethiopia, I go to altitude for a month at a time. The place I stay at has no electricity, but it doesn’t matter. I only have one opportunity. I am fighting for my dream. I want to become a professional cyclist. If I don’t succeed, I won’t be sad because I am giving it my all and whatever I learn from these experiences I will take with to the next thing I do in life.

The guys I’m racing against have options. They have family to support them or can easily find a job here in Europe. I have no options. I have this one opportunity of becoming a professional cyclist and that’s why I am working harder than anyone else around me. This is a challenge but the good thing about life is you really discover who you are during hard times.

Seven years ago, my mother passed away. We lived in a one room rented house. I’ll never forget the day on May 9 when she died. She’s still on my mind all the time. I wanted to stop riding my bike, it was a very difficult time. The cycling team I was with had a house and allowed me to stay there. My brother and I were separated as he went to stay in a church house.

A post shared by Haile Melekot (@haile_melekot) on

I wish she was still here. I dedicated the winning the Ethiopian national championships to her. I had her photo with me the whole time. To be Ethiopian champion is so special. I don’t have words to explain what it means to ride with my country’s flag in every race in Europe. I’ve had such a difficult life but I have good people around me. For four months I worked really hard leading up to the championships. Mikel who helped me get to Europe, motivated me to work hard and become Ethiopian champion. Without him I would not be here today.

Even now, I don’t have a home in Ethiopia. When I got back, the team still supports me. They are my family and help me to never give up. I have the dream to participate in one Grand Tour. This is my dream. I only have one opportunity.

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Last modified: Jan 20, 2020
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