THE COVID-19 pandemic has affected sportspeople around the globe, with many top-level athletes now house-bound and away from the sporting fields, tracks and parks they call a second home.
It is no different for former Mount Gambier motocross rider Kirk Gibbs, who is confined to his Gold Coast quarters as he waits for updates on the postponed Australian National Motocross Championships.
Upon his return from New Zealand, where he brought the national title back across the ditch, Gibbs completed the required two week’s self isolation.
He is now a week and a half out of quarantine, but is still limited greatly by what he is able to do.
“I was able to get back on the bike a couple of times, but with everything now and with sponsors and everything like that it is better for us not to ride,” Gibbs said.
“We just want to be seen doing the right thing as well by everyone and so we are not riding at the moment.”
That equates to a fairly repetitive weekly routine.
“I am basically just training every day and that is all we can do until we get the okay to start riding again,” he said.
“There is nothing like (riding) practice, but I have been doing a lot of cycling and I have some gym equipment at home.
“It is basically what I was doing before off the bike.”
Gibbs has weekly group calls with his CDR Yamaha team manager and teammate Hayden Mellross to keep in touch, but for now it is just a matter of maintaining a level of fitness ready for when racing can resume.
“We just have to keep on top of our fitness and all that because obviously the main goal is to still go racing in a few months time,” Gibbs said.
“We just have to be ready for then and be as fit as we can.”
With plenty of free time, Gibbs has increased his social media presence and has kept followers entertained during this quiet period with a series of comedic videos, posted on his Facebook and Instagram accounts.
“Because we are not racing at the moment we have tried to plug those socials to try and keep everyone entertained and keep a bit of atmosphere about it,” he said.
“I am just trying to bring a bit of laughter and it keeps me busy for a couple of hours trying to come up with these things.”
There has been no date set for the rescheduled national series and Gibbs said the decision is now in the government’s hands.
“We are in the same sort of boat as football and all that sort of stuff,” he said.
“It is more of a government call – once the government starts to allow more than 500 people at an event I think we can go back racing.
“I still do not think it will be for a few months yet – I’m guessing it will be more like August-September.
“We just have to play our part and hopefully we will get out the other side all well and good and it can go back to normal.”
