Dakar 2023 – Meet Aliyyah Koloc, a rookie who thinks big

The Koloc sisters should have become the first twins of African origin to take part in the Dakar Rally in 2023. But only Aliyyah Koloc showed up at the start this Saturday, December 31 aboard a Can-Am Buggyra in the Light Prototype (T3) category. Indeed, Yasmeen Koloc is still suffering from a wrist injured in an accident earlier in the year. Aliyyah Koloc, aged 18, will still benefit from the support of her sister who accompanies her to the Saudi bivouac.

The young driver is not unknown to followers of the French Championship FFSAGT, since the driver born in Dubai competed in the 2022 season aboard a Mercedes-AMG GT4. The links with France go back to their mother, of Seychelles origin. As for the father, Martin Koloc, he is Czech, and built a reputation by winning the European Truck Championship twice in the 1990s before leading the Buggyra Racing team in trucks, on circuits and in the Dakar.

“It’s really cool to have the whole family involved, rejoices Aliyyah Koloc, who listens to the notes of her French navigator Stéphane Duulé. Being able to do something you love with the people you love is always the best feeling ever. My dad gives me advice and I have a really nice group of people around me to teach me all the tips and tricks. He is happy to see us driving but he is also very stressed. In the rallies, there were days when he was very stressed, so we will have to calm him down on the Dakar!

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I have been able to attend the Dakar since 2020 as a follower and it has been an incredible experience, remembers Aliyyah Koloc. I saw the start, the bivouac, I saw the pilots return so late at night sometimes, before leaving very early the next morning.

It was impressive to see how difficult it can be for drivers and mechanics. In fact, it made me want to do it even more. I have always considered this event to be the most difficult in the world, so to be able to do it myself is very exciting and surreal. »

The Koloc sisters, beyond their attraction to the Dakar, are sports enthusiasts. Their childhood predestined them for a great career in tennis, before two injuries at the age of 15 forced them to change course. “We wanted to be the next sisters Williams, Aliyyah remembered during our interview last December. We were pretty good, it lasted for about ten years and we ended up playing in a lot of high level national tournaments across Europe. Yasmeen played ITF tournaments just before the end of her career. »

For now, the objective is to see the final finish of the Dakar on January 15. The start of the event allowed the rookie to understand why the Dakar is renowned for its difficulty; the transmission shaft of his T3 gave way in the prologue, causing some cold sweats and a loss of almost two minutes on the leaders.

 

 

 

 

 

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Aliyyah Koloc has already established a career plan in rally-raid. A partnership has been established with the South African team Red-Lined Motorsport and Thomas Bell Racing so that the young woman can get her hands on a 4×4 T1+ in South Africa, with the aim of competing in the Dakar in the premier category in the near future.

“After the Dakar, we will start our program on a Revo T1 Red-Lined in the very competitive South African championship. Then, when the time is right, we will upgrade to an FIA T1+ specification REVO+, with the aim of entering it in the Dakar. » Hoping that the Koloc twins will be reunited at the start of the race!