Imtiyaaz Schultz is one step closer to his dream of becoming one of the best cyclists in the world.
A proud resident of Bonte- heuwel, Sparkles, as he is affectionately known, was bitten by the cycling bug three years ago when he first saw his mentor, William Petersen cycling past him daily.
One afternoon, he stopped Petersen to learn more about the sport. Schultz was inspired to save up money for an entry level bike.
His neighbours, Raees and Mishka Rudolph, motivated him to start a carwash with the slogan – “Make It Sparkle”– where his nickname comes from. It took him a year to save up for his first two-wheeler.
As soon as he bought his new bike for R1 900, he got in touch with Petersen again. Two days later, Petersen invited him for a 50km tiki-ride around Durbanville.
It was a turning point for Schultz who dropped out of school when he was 13 years old.
His parents’ friends, aunt Elizabeth and uncle Kenneth Visagie, also saw his potential as a young child. They used to “skel” him for stepping out of line.
The 17-year-old Schultz said, when he started cycling for Bellville Cycling Club, his “life totally changed”. He got his first proper bike – a Raleigh. “Before I joined this club I went through big, big struggles. I was a ‘wannabe’ gangster. I wanted to be part of a gang, but luckily I got out of it.
“There are two ways to survive in the ghetto: you take the easy way and become a gangster and feel a bit safe even though it is not safe, or you take the hard way that is going to benefit you in a few years,” he said.
On Thursday nights, he began to participate in track events, bagging podium finishes, at the Bellville Velodrome and Killarney International Raceway. This too was a dangerous exercise for Schultz, riding from Bellville and Table View to Bonteheuwel.
As Schultz’s confidence grew with every race, life at home became harder and harder. His bike was also beginning to break often and it became expensive to repair. He took the hard decision to sell it, before saving up again for a fixie bike (track bike).
In 2023, Schultz came back stronger and more experienced. He met track riders, Dirk van Zyl and Mark Lester-Petersen, who helped him to navigate around the track.
“When I met Mark Lester-Petersen, I said, ‘Yo, man, you have big legs’ and he responded, ‘it is through hard work’.”
Now, cycling for the club, TrackCyclingSA, Schultz is coached by Jaco Scholtz, another well-known name in the sport.
When he is not on the track, he is mentored by Johann Smith and his wife Anel Smith, who help him to read and write.
Two weeks before attending the South African Track and Omnium Championships in Gqeberha, last month, Schultz was mugged, twice, on his way home.
The first incident was close to the Bellville Velodrome. The second incident, he was knocked unconscious near his home in Bonteheuwel, but fortunately, his neighbour, who was driving past, saved him.
He received treatment for a concussion and was off the bike for 10 days. He started to train indoors, using online training software. But that was the least of his problems. Despite missing an important race that week, he was on the verge of missing the upcoming nationals too, in Gqeberha.
“Every time I trained I kept on thinking about this guy that wanted to take my bike. I started riding faster and faster,” he said.
On the first day of the national championships, Schultz received a call from his parents and mentors, wishing him good luck for the five-day event.
“Oom Johann called to make sure I enjoyed the event but I wanted to win because people were investing in me. I thought of the support I had at TrackCyclingSA and Bellville Cycling Club. I saw how my parents were struggling in the ghetto, living in a wendy house, without food.
“When I go home, I say to myself, ‘time is running out, I need to be a success’. I want to give my siblings a better life,” he said.
Schultz brought home a gold medal in the team sprint, two silver medals in the team pursuit and elimination race, as well as a bronze medal in the Keirin sprint race.
Schultz hopes to someday give back to his schools, Bramble Way Primary School and Central Park Primary School, through cycling – to help the children explore places outside of Bonteheuwel, connecting them with people from all walks of life.
“I take my hat off to him. Sparkles is a very good person. He made a decision in life. With his feet firmly on Mother Earth, he will make it one day in life even if it’s not in cycling,” said Smith.
