Broken bones, unbroken spirit: Moodley races on

FOR most teenagers, a severe crash that breaks bones would be enough to step away from the sport they love. For Ruché Moodley, it was simply another challenge to overcome on his journey in motorcycle racing.

- JEHRAN NAIDOO

The 18-year-old, Eastern Cape-born racer made his return at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring in Austria this past weekend following a harrowing crash at Mugello, Italy, in late June, and the mid-season summer break. At Mugello, Moodley went down and was struck by riders behind him, breaking his scapula and a vertebra.

Yet, the teenager displayed immense determination to return after a short recovery, completing the Austrian Grand Prix in P17, after starting in P19, in the Moto3 category. Moodley admitted that regaining confidence was a challenge, but said he now feels fit again in body, even though the mind might still take some time to fully recover.

“I feel 100% physically, but I lost a lot of time on the bike - I think about three races and a few tests — so it took me a while to get the confidence back,” he explained.