Irish BMX star Kelvin Batey is looking to track down the boy in the picture above who he happened across while training today. The boy - named either Aaron or Callum - was awestruck when he met Batey and said he wants to race in the Olympics one day, just like our man is hoping to do.
By Brian Canty
World champion BMX racer Kelvin Batey has said he’s been “humbled” by the response to a Facebook message he posted on Wednesday about a young boy he bumped into while training.
The 34-year old Rio hopeful was at his local track in Derby when he happened upon a 10-year old who was also using the same facility.
Curious as to why the kid – named Aaron or Callum - wasn’t in school, Batey began chatting to him.
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“He said he got kicked out of a couple of schools but he's at one now where he only goes in for half a day," Batey explained.
"He said he'd done some naughty things so that’s what he was at the track."
The boy appeared to have cobbled together a BMX outfit and bike from items he had found and salvaged.
He told Batey he loved BMX racing and wanted to ride the Olympics one day.
He then asked decorated international rider Batey if he was 'that guy who people said could jump over everything around here'.
Stunned by the reply as well as his ability with the limited equipment he had, Batey offered to help.
Batey winning his first Masters world title in 2013. He is looking to get to the Olympics to represent Ireland this year.
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“I was blown away. I told him 'I’m trying to go to the Olympics as well this year' and he was like ‘awh cool’," explained Batey.
“He was such an impressive kid. He’d ridden to the track with a high seatpost and had a spare one in a little bag he brought so he wouldn’t catch his bum when he was jumping.
“He had his Allan keys and spanners as well, he was so proud of his bike.
“And he was pretty decent too; he went around the track and even though his gearing was the lightest I’d seen he was so damn skilful, he was moving it like it was a proper race bike.”
As it turned out, he’d found the frame and a few bits, his friend gave him a couple of wheels, he found pedals and he got his goggles at a local supermarket.
“It just hit me when I came back home, I was so humbled by it all,” added Batey.
“He’s just a kid who loves the sport and he wants to be something that I’m hopefully close to being.
“I’m not a big updater on Facebook but it was a big deal for me so I just posted a message about it and since then I’ve had so many people get in contact.
"People have offered bike parts and helmets for him so hopefully, with the help of my partner Maria, we’re going to find him and give him some kit.
“My phone and my Facebook have gone crazy with people offering things; I went back to the track to see was he still there but he’d gone.
“I’m hoping this will get around and someone will say they know him and we’ll be able to get the stuff to him.”
For updates, follow Batey and his partner Maria on twitter @KelvinBatey555 and @MariaFowler
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