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Miller takes confidence into Paris Olympics

• 1 Month Ago 26 July 2024

As Namibia's premier mountain bike rider, Alex Miller is ready to make waves at the 2024 Olympics’s cross-country event.

At 23, Miller has already built an impressive resume, boasting a Commonwealth Games medal, two African continental cross-country titles (Cairo 2018 and Windhoek 2022) and numerous national titles.

Currently professionally contracted by South African team Toyota Specialized, Miller is ranked 18th in the world with 603 points.

Known for his versatility and consistency, his performances at the African Continental Championships and the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series in Europa highlights his preparedness for Olympic competition.

The 23-year-old is relishing the prospect of coming up against the world’s best on Monday 29 July at 14:10 at Élancourt Hill, southwest of Paris, where only 36 world-class men’s riders will compete in the men’s cross-country Olympic mountain bike race.

At the opening ceremony commences on Friday, Miller will share the national flag-bearer responsibility with the other Namibia Cycling Federation representative in Paris – Vera Looser (women’s road race on Sunday 4 August).

Being the flag-bearer is a great honour, says Miller, who finished 31st in his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2021 as a 19-year-old.

“This is my second Olympics, it’s quite special. Not many people get to say they have participated in two Olympics, never mind one. I’ve been blessed,” Miller said in a promo video supplied by the Namibia Athletes Commission.

“The first time was 2021 [Tokyo Olympics], so three years ago. I think I’ve gotten a lot stronger, both physically and mentally, I think.”



World-class competitor

Evidence of Miller’s marked improvement since the last Olympics was amplified when he won the cross-country bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, as well as the 2022 African title.

More recently, he followed up with a silver on his UCI Marathon World Cup debut in the Czech Republic in May this year.

“My coach [Hans du Toit] and I, we’ve come a long way. I can confidently say that meeting him changed my life. We work well together, and I’m super happy,” Miller says of his transformation to a truly world-class competitor.

“Recently, it’s gotten a lot better for me, because obviously my results in some of the races have been up there.

“I’ve gone into those races thinking, I feel good. I’m going to give it my best shot. If it’s a top-30, top-20, I’ll be happy with it. But there I go, fighting for the win. For me, it’s been really motivating,” says Miller.

“You’re at one with yourself. The good feeling you get out of it, it’s so rewarding. I mean, you’re riding a bike, man,” Miller says with an easy smile.

“I love being outdoors. It’s so cool. It’s a sense of freedom.

“Some of the earliest moments, growing up on a farm (near Helmeringhausen) in the south of Namibia, far away from any civilization. Being in the backyard, building jumps, trying to jump as high as possible, as far as possible. Then doing some longer rides with my older brother (Thomas).”

His versatility extends to road cycling as well, which includes winning the national road race championship twice (in 2019, beating Dan Craven and Drikus Coetzee, and 2024).

Alex Miller's journey from a farm in Namibia to the global stage of the Olympics is a testament to his dedication, hard work and passion for mountain biking. With his eyes set on Olympic glory, Miller is poised to inspire a new generation of athletes from his homeland and beyond.