Cycle For Sables: How Sport and Compassion Are Saving a Species

In Kwale County, Kenya, the sight of cyclists riding through the hills has taken on a new meaning. This is not only a ride for fitness or leisure, it is a ride for life. It is the Cycle For Sables, a movement dedicated to protecting the Sable Antelope, a species found only in the Shimba Hills National Reserve and now perilously close to extinction, with fewer than 60 left in the wild.

For Diana Heri, one of the driving forces behind the initiative, the project is rooted in a simple belief: “Sport has the power to champion relevant social and environmental causes. Through cycling, we wanted to create something bigger than ourselves , a call to protect what is left before it is lost.”

How TAP Shaped the Journey

When Diana joined the True Athlete Project’s Membership in 2024, the Cycle For Sables had just begun. “At that time, we had only two cyclists under our banner,” she recalls. “I was excited, but I also wasn’t sure how to grow it into something meaningful for the wider community.”

Over the year, everything changed. With insights from the global TAP community, Diana began to see sport through a new lens. “The TAP Membership has opened my eyes to possibilities I had never imagined. I have had the privilege of learning from some of the best coaches and athletes in the world. That knowledge has been invaluable for me, and for Kwale Sports Excellence CBO. It gave me the confidence to think bigger.”

And think bigger she did. One year later, more than 60 cyclists joined the campaign, riding together in support of the sable antelope. “Seeing that growth, seeing people come together for conservation, was overwhelming,” Diana says. “It showed me what is possible when we use sport with intention and compassion.”

A Community Brought Together

For Diana, the true success of Cycle For Sables is not measured in numbers but in connection. “Through this program, we have managed to bring our community together around something that matters to all of us. The sable antelope is part of our identity in Kwale. To protect it is to protect who we are.”

She describes the feeling of watching cyclists ride through the landscape, each pedal stroke carrying with it a message of hope: “It’s not just about cycling. It’s about telling the story of the sable antelope, and making sure that story continues for generations.”

Gratitude and Vision 

Diana is clear about where part of this inspiration comes from: “It is no coincidence that my one year with TAP has coincided with the growth of Cycle For Sables. The program has taught me to see beyond medals and victories, and to focus on the bigger picture. TAP has empowered me, and through me, empowered our whole organisation.”

Looking ahead, her vision is filled with hope. “I believe Cycle For Sables can become a legacy. It can remind us that sport has the power to unite us, to protect what is precious, and to leave the world better than we found it.” 

The True Athlete Project Membership is a an international community of athletes, coaches, practitioners, sports psychologists, authors, mindfulness teachers creating a movement to reimagine sport.  Join and get access to:

• Live experiential workshops on topics like holistic athlete development, mindfulness, creative coaching techniques etc.
• Guest speakers: olympians and elite athletes.
• Year long courses with renowned authors
• TAP Resources: meditations, books, podcasts, sports documentaries, movement classes and more.
• Monthly meetups

Link to join at no cost.

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