Hey kids! Have you ever dreamed of racing a car through giant deserts? 🌵🏎️ Meet Aliyyah Koloc, a super cool 20-year-old racer from Seychelles who is doing just that!
Aliyyah is competing in the Taklimakan Rally, one of the toughest desert races in the world, held in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China. Imagine driving across endless sand dunes and rocky paths! 🏜️
Even though this is her first time at the Taklimakan Rally, Aliyyah is already impressing everyone. After 5 stages, she is in 11th place overall! 🎉
Overcoming Challenges
Racing in the desert isn’t easy. During Stage 5, Aliyyah’s car had a problem with fuel pressure. But guess what? She didn’t give up! She said it was her favorite part of the race so far. “It was quite fast, and we had some dune sections, so it was really intense — I had a lot of fun,” she smiled. 😊
Aliyyah also showed how kind she is. When she saw another racer had crashed, she stopped to make sure they were okay. “I felt like stopping to check was the human thing to do. He was okay,” she said. That’s true sportsmanship! 🤝
A Racing Star is Born
Did you know Aliyyah started racing when she was just 15? She used to play tennis, but after an injury, she decided to follow in her dad’s footsteps. Her father, Martin Koloc, is a former racer too! 🏆
At 18, she raced in the famous Dakar Rally, and now she’s taking on the deserts of Xinjiang. She loves the beautiful scenery and the amazing support from the local fans. “I’ve never gotten such overwhelming support anywhere else. Everyone here is so passionate about the rally — it’s incredible,” she shared. ❤️
What’s Next?
There are still five stages left in the rally, and Aliyyah is excited to keep going. She hopes to finish even higher in the rankings and continue enjoying the adventure. 🚀
Aliyyah’s story shows us that with courage, kindness, and hard work, we can achieve our dreams! So, what are you passionate about? Maybe one day, you’ll have your own epic adventure! 🌟
Reference(s):
Aliyyah Koloc reflects on grit, growth, and Xinjiang's majesty
cgtn.com
