Mangaluru : Nobert D’Souza, 66-year-old tailor, donated his Trek 5.2 road bike to the young cycling prodigy Uday Guled, 15, from Jamkhandi taluk of Bagalkot district on Sunday.

Impressed by Mr. Guled’s performance in the national cycling competition held in Jamkhandi in 2017, Mr. D’Souza and his friend Dundappa Athani, a veteran cycling coach from Bagalkot, offered to donate to Mr. Guled his road bike that he had purchased in 2010. It is a year since Mr. D’Souza quit cycling because of a physical ailment.

Mr. D’Souza formally handed over his road bike during the annual day celebrations of Mangalore Bicycle Club (MBC), a group of cycling enthusiasts. He announced that he would donate this another road bike to the winner from the State in the forthcoming national cycling event.

“We are happy to receive this bike today. This 24-gear bike will make a huge difference to performance of Mr. Guled in the upcoming cycling events,” said Vittal Bhorji, a police constable from Bagalkot who is also the coach of Mr. Guled.

Mr. Bhorji, who is on a deputation to the Department of Youth Services and Sports, said that apart from Mr. Guled, his younger sister Anupama Guled was also a good cyclist doing well in national cycling events.

“We have hopes of Guled topping in the national event. We hope to get the other bike of Mr. D’Souza,” said Mr. Guled’s uncle and secretary of Bagalkot Amateur Cycling Association Basavaraj Guled.

Mr. Basavaraj, Mr. Bhorji and Mr. Athani attended the function. Inspector General of Police (Western Range) Arun Chakravathi, who was the chief guest at the programme, lauded Mr. D’Souza initiative to help young cyclists, who are in good numbers in Vijayapura and Bagalkot.