Article added: Friday 13 September 2024

By Isabella Root

When Harry O’Reilly fell off his bike and broke his leg, his first thought was that he wouldn’t be able to compete at the Zespri AIMS Games.

Three months later, he’s ripping up the mountain bike tracks at the week-long intermediate-aged tournament in Tauranga.

The 12-year-old Matamata Intermediate School pupil was all geared up to compete in the enduro mountain biking event at AIMS this week. That was until a broken leg “stopped him in his tracks”.

Harry was riding in a motocross event in May when he broke his right tibia and fibula putting him out of action for three months. 

Determined to compete, he did everything he could to get back on the bike.

“I was really looking forward to AIMS,” Harry said. “I was doing a workout every morning as soon as I got out of my moon boot.”

After weeks of physiotherapy, on August 5, Harry was finally given the OK to ride again.

Harry’s mum Kristen O’Reilly said he was so upset after the accident because he wanted so badly to compete at AIMS. So she was glad he was able to recover fast enough to make the tournament.

“He’s always been mad about bikes, as soon as he could walk he was on a bike and he’s just pushed the limits ever since.”

Harry said his goal this week was to keep going and “don’t stop”.

He even got to compete alongside his best mate Eli Fieten.

Together, the pair represented Matamata Intermediate as the school’s only two athletes in the mountain biking code.

The best buds ride together on Eli’s family farm where they have been muddying up their tyres on their very own mountain bike track.

Eli said he was also “a bit disappointed” to learn there was a chance his buddy might not have been able to compete. But he was thankful they got to race to the finish line together.

Mountain biking operations manager, Shannon Fisken, said this year's event had run smoothly. 

“I think the whole vibe has been pretty positive, it’s been well run, the sun was shining.”

Shannon said the aim of the competition was to introduce children to racing.

“For most of them it’s the first time they’ve ever been in a mountain bike race, so it’s about providing them a really supportive and fun event for them to see what it’s all about.”