Southwark celebrates sport! A huge congratulations to our incredible Olympians and Paralympians who excelled in sport to represent Great Britain at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics
Did you know that some of our sporting heroes grew up or trained right here in Southwark? We spoke to BMX racer and medal winner Kye Whyte.
Where did you start BMX training and what got you hooked? It was my Nan actually. She visited a park in Brixton and met CK Flash who was coaching there at the time. I was only three years old but went along with my two older brothers. A year on CK Flash started his own club at the Peckham BMX Track and became my coach. I gave my life to it and didn’t stop. BMX is my life and passion. What are your memories of the Peckham BMX Track in Burgess Park? My family moved close to the Peckham track when I was young. From learning the basics to where I am now - it proved a good track. It’s a great warm-up track. It’s good for kids to start at the pump track to learn core skills.
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What’s the best way to progress in sport? Whatever you feel like you’re struggling with, you need to practice, practice, and practice more. Make sure you’re having fun. If there’s someone there to help you, be ready to listen to what they have to say. Have fun and practice. How did BMX racing help you as a young person? It gave me time away from everything. If you’re stressed or need time out away from school at the weekend, then go for it. It’s a good way to express yourself. I made many friends at BMX over the years. My advice to kids is to stay in school, you might not like it, you might not enjoy it, but it’s a good back-up plan. What does winning silver at the Tokyo Olympics mean to you? I didn’t expect it. I went for the gold but silver will do for now! It’s exciting to know that I got it and I’ll keep training and aim for gold next time!
