Khelo India Youth Games: Ladakh cyclist overcomes adversities, borrows wheels to win silver medal

Ladakh's lone female cyclist Leakzes Angmo won the first Khelo India Youth Games medal for her Union Territory - a silver medal - in the 20km cycling event.

Leakzes Angmo, from the tiny Nurla Yokmappa Stalam village in Ladakh, fought through adversities before a stellar finish earned her a silver medal in the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games.

Karnataka’s Chaitra Borji won the gold medal in the Khelo India event.

A day before her Khelo India 20km Individual Road Time Trial event, Leakzes was downcast and had all but given up hope of securing a medal.

“I froze when I saw the equipment of my co-competitors. My cycle seemed outdated in front of them. Most of them had carbon discs on their wheels,” Leakzes said, conceding a marked handicap.

But just before the race, she somehow managed to borrow a set of wheels from another cyclist and sped away to glory.

“Each of these carbon discs costs Rs 1 lakh. I can’t afford them. Every international cyclist now uses them. It allows them to conserve a lot of critical energy. If I had a properly equipped cycle, I could have got a better result,’’ said the 19-year-old.

A fascinating cycling journey - from fun rides to a Khelo India medal

Leakzes' emergence in cycling from a remote outpost is fascinating. The 19-year-old had nothing to do in the snow-capped mountains of Ladakh and used to ride her cycle for solo rides whenever the weather permitted.

“As a kid, I used to peep out of our home windows and watch skaters practice on ice. Every time someone fell, we would rush out to help them and I would take the opportunity to run away on my bulky cycle. I began to cycle around, alone, 15 to 20 km, just for fun, as there wasn’t anything else to do. Temperatures plummet below minus 10 during winters, forcing us to remain indoors most of the time," she explained.

When Leakzes was 15, the Cycling Federation of India came calling for a competitive event. Admitting that it was a life-changing decision, Leakzes said:

“My parents (Ishey Dawa and Rigzin Yangdol) encouraged me to participate in the event. A year later, I was selected to join the SAI Academy in New Delhi. I was surprised to receive the letter after such a long time. But my parents were thrilled and my journey in the sport commenced. It was a new world for me. Most importantly, I was amused when I got the first feel of a competitive cycle. It was stunningly lighter than the bulky one in my village. It took me months to adjust to its lightness,” she said.

It wasn’t long before Leakzes started delivering results. She secured a gold medal in her first national track cycling championship.

“We celebrated my victory in a very big way in my village," she said.

She attained glory at the National School Games in 2018-19 and 2019-20, winning gold medals in the Time Trial and Team Sprint events.

She also won a silver medal at the 2020 Khelo India Games in Guwahati.

Her big moment, however, came in the presence of her parents when she raced away to the gold medal in the Ultimate Ladakh Cycling Championship in 2020.

With results in her kitty, hopefully, the days of borrowing equipment will soon come to an end for the cycling star.