When you think of BMX Street Style, two things immediately come to mind, urban youth and the lay of the inner city. When Nigerian born, Pro BMX Street Style rider and Red Bull athlete, Courage Adams landed in the city of Johannesburg to shoot a special project, these two concepts undoubtably became personified.
Courage (25), who was born in Benin City in Nigeria but now resides in Spain, is one of the best and most complete BMX Street riders currently on the scene. In 2021, he secured 2nd place at Simple Session in Estonia and claimed 1st place at Arnette O’Marisquino in Vigo, Spain, earlier in the year.
The project that brought Courage to South Africa – Courage In The Streets of Jozi, which premiers today on the Red Bull Bike YouTube channel, follows the tread marks left behind by ‘Encouraged’, a homecoming film shot in Lagos, Nigeria, which afforded Courage the experience not only to explore hits roots, but to also connect with fellow riders on the continent.
The popularity of BMX locally is also on a sturdy rise. From the bustling inner-city alleys of Jozi to the eclectic streets of Soweto, the sub-culture has firmly established its roots. Local custodians of the movement, Nkosinathi Gift Nkosi and Leroy Mlenze, played host to Courage when he landed on South African shores.
Speaking on the experience, Nkosinathi said: “Meeting Courage was a great experience for me, he is a BMX rider that I’ve always enjoyed watching. His riding is a part of who he really is, it is really inspiring watching him ride.
“Projects like this are really important for the local scene because they help our riders get noticed on the international BMX scene and help foster togetherness within our local BMX community” he adds.
For Courage, being back in Africa was reminiscent of his Lagos visit: “The Local culture reminds me of when I was a kid in Nigeria, that was something really interesting because I felt really connected with the city“
WATCH Courage In The Streets Of Jozi:
For more information about Courage Adams, please visit: https://www.redbull.com/za-en/athlete/courage-adams