"It is a fiercely competitive market, and one of the toughest physical jobs in Madagascar's Antsirabe, but over the past five years cycle rickshaw driver Haja Nirina has honed his athletic prowess alongside his business. In this city, about 100 miles (160km) south of the capital, Antananarivo, there are more than 4,000 rickshaws for a population of 265,000, the cheapest transport available for people and goods. Some are pulled by cycles, others by hand."
"Crown Athletics Club has its roots in Antsirabe's first rickshaw race in 1997, when Tsiry Rakotomalala organised prizes of rice, chickens and other food items. The chaotic streets of Antsirabe, where the rickshaw drivers vie for trade Jean-Claude Rakotonirina, known as Diry, 33, who pulls his rickshaw by hand, is one of Crown Athletics' rising stars. In the job for 10 years, he runs 20-25km every day around Antsirabe, mostly transporting goods"
Antsirabe hosts over 4,000 rickshaws for a population of about 265,000, creating a fiercely competitive market for cycle and hand-pulled rickshaw drivers. Drivers typically make 10,000–15,000 ariary per day from 10–15 trips while most lose 5,000 ariary paying daily rental fees. Haja Nirina purchased his rickshaw through a Crown Athletics Club programme, reducing his expenses to 500 ariary for storage and enabling more time for training and races. Crown Athletics began after a 1997 rickshaw race and later offered microcredit to drivers to buy cycles. Jean-Claude Rakotonirina runs 20–25km daily and is a rising club athlete.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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