Khothalang Leuta (The Fastest Girl in the Village)

Since the release of the film The Fastest Girl in the Village, Khothalang Leuta has continued her passion for cycling. In 2021, she participated in the Red Bull Pump Track World Championships, leaving Africa and flying on an airplane for the first time to compete in Lisbon, Portugal. While she didn't clinch the World Championship title, she put in a solid effort, coming in 31st out of 34 – an impressive accomplishment given the notoriety and competitiveness of the event! She no longer needs to borrow the club bikes to practice; after her time in Lisbon, she was gifted her own custom-built bright yellow-green Specialized bike.

In 2023, Khothalang enrolled in an Occupational Health and Safety course at Lesotho’s Mon-Tech Institute. After her diploma, she hopes to work for a while and then open her own academy or bicycle club for girls. 

“I will start a small club because a lot of girls are afraid of riding bikes because of the injuries or accidents that are likely to happen. This course will help me reduce the fear they have of cycling as I will be able to give away the knowledge I have from the course.”

A GoFundMe has been set up where you can find updates on her progress and contribute to her tuition costs. 

Author: Lauren Schmidt