Current:Home > MyFamily fast track: 9-year-old girl coached by great-grandfather eyes BMX championship -AssetTrainer
Family fast track: 9-year-old girl coached by great-grandfather eyes BMX championship
View
Date:2025-04-26 07:54:55
She’s driven. She’s strong. And she’s known as the “Pink and black attack.”
Her name is Ariel Kelly and together, with her great-grandfather, the 9-year-old BMX racer is training to represent Canada this spring at the 2024 UCI BMX Racing World Championships.
She lives in Dana, Saskatchewan, a western province of Canada, and the family’s small town is made up of about 16 people, said her great-grandfather and BMX coach Lowell Ruda.
In order to qualify for the world championships this spring and represent Canada, Kelly had to do well in the national event, which was held last July in Quebec, Ruda said.
Ruda added that his daughter, Kelly’s grandmother, raced in the late 1980s and was the no. 1 girl in Canada at one point, he said.
Kelly, his current champion in the making, started racing in 2020. That’s when she first learned how to ride and then Ruda took her to a race.
Inspiring story:This 4-year-old's birthday was nearly ruined. Then two police officers stepped in to help.
'Pink and black attack'
“I was mesmerized at first sight,” said Kelly on Wednesday afternoon, smiling and sporting streaks of pink hair.
Her ride of choice is a pink and black bike made of carbon fiber to keep the weight down, her great-grandfather said.
“Everything about her racing is pink and black,” he said. “Her bike is pink and black. Her outfit is pink and black. Her helmet is pink and black and they call her the ‘Pink and black attack.’”
Weather is major factor in training the 9-year-old BMX prodigy, great-grandfather says
When it comes to training, Kelly and her great-grandfather have quite the task on their hands, mostly because in Saskatchewan, winters can be rough.
They generally get five to six feet of snow during the winter season, meaning she can’t ride her bike outside.
Kelly has rollers her bike sits on, making it stationary so she can build up strength and keep her legs moving in the winter, Ruda said. She rides the bike on rollers three times a week.
“It's not really a substitute for riding but it's the best we’ve got,” Ruda said.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, she does exercises to strengthen her core such as sit ups, stretches and squats.
Ruda said once a month, they travel to Edmonton, about six hours away, where they have an indoor training facility. There, she trains with an Olympic-level BMX racer from Canada.
When asked, the 9-year-old said she prefers racing outdoors.
“Sometimes I get really hot indoors,” she said. “It's very sunny, windy outside and cool.”
Kelly said she loves BMX racing because everyone’s so nice.
In fact, one of her best friends, Jamie, is a BMX racer. Jamie lives in Edmonton and her family has hosted them when they made the trek from Saskatchewan to Edmonton to train and race.
“She's probably Ariel's biggest competition,” her great-grandfather told USA TODAY on Wednesday afternoon.
'It's just the two of us': The dynamic BMX duo
Ruda and Kelly spend lots of time traveling to train and race, they said.
“It’s just the two of us,” Kelly said, later calling her great-grandfather “very kind.”
“He has an awesome personality” and he’s “cool,” she said.
He said his great-granddaughter is a good kid and she’s very positive. She loves making friends and learning, too.
“She’s just a real joy to be around,” said Ruda, who has four kids and nine grandkids.
Young BMXer is raising money to go to more races
Kelly and Ruda are currently raising money to fund her BMX career. She’s making bracelets, keychains and more to sell. They are also participating in a bottle donation drive.
The money will help her go to more races, travel and get better at what she does, Ruda said.
“Everything's far away from the middle of Saskatchewan,” he said.
Keep up with Kelly and her great-grandfather at www.tinyurl.com/409Racing.
veryGood! (18)
Related
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- Indoor pollution can make you sick. Here's how to keep your home's air clean
- Indiana Republican Chairman Kyle Hupfer announces resignation after 6.5 years at helm
- Post Malone Reveals He Lost 55 Lbs. From This Healthy Diet Tip
- Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
- Australian home declared safe after radioactive material discovered
- Australia vs. Sweden: World Cup third-place match time, odds, how to watch and live stream
- 'Divine Rivals' is a BookTok hit: What to read next, including 'Lovely War'
- New Zealand official reverses visa refusal for US conservative influencer Candace Owens
- Top 10 deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history
Ranking
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- Pink Shows Support for Britney Spears Amid Sam Asghari Divorce
- You’ll Bow Down to This Deleted Scene From Red, White & Royal Blue
- Canadian woman sentenced to nearly 22 years for sending ricin letter to Trump
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Trump cancels press conference on election fraud claims, citing attorneys’ advice
- Hurricane Hilary poses flooding risks to Zion, Joshua Tree, Death Valley national parks
- Officials identify IRS agent who was fatally shot during training exercise at Phoenix firing range
Recommendation
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
Are you a Trump indictment expert by now? Test yourself in this week's news quiz
Impeached Kentucky prosecutor indicted on fraud, bribery charges in nude pictures case
Maui bird conservationist fights off wildfire to save rare, near extinct Hawaiian species
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
Blue Shield of California opts for Amazon, Mark Cuban drug company in switchup
Tornado spotted in Rhode Island as thunderstorms move through New England
The British Museum fires employee for suspected theft of ancient treasures