Rahsaan Bahati

Rahsaan F. Bahati is the fourth child and first son of Nassoma Bahati, a former school teacher in Compton Unified School District, and Rashid Bahati a film producer and executive director of the Bahati Foundation. His parents migrated from Birmingham, Alabama to Southern California in the early 1980’s. Rahsaan’s father a former professional musician was so impressed by a famous Jazz saxophonist named Rahsaan Roland Kirk that he named his son after him. Rahsaan attended several private schools in Compton and was introduced to cycling at Davis Middle School Compton Unified School District.

Rahsaan grew up with his five sisters and one brother in Compton, California. Rahsaan played little league Baseball and pop-warner Football for the Carson Colts.

In his early years Rahsaan was a clown. His teacher recommended that Rahsaan start an afterschool program to focus some of his problematic energy. He was given the choice between golf and bikes. Next day father took him to was once the local velodrome in Carson now none as the VELO Sports Center. Picked to go to Kenosha, Wisconsin for the US junior track Nationals. He brought home four medals that year and launched a junior career that brought him over 80 victories and 5 straight selections to the US National Team. He attended Crenshaw High School when to family moved from Compton to Leimert Park in Los Angeles.

Rahsaan was developing into an accomplished cyclist and riding with The Major Motion Cycling Team out of Leimert Park. Through the efforts of members of the team, he was able to train and race in local criteriums and road races. After completing his degree Rahsaan launched full-time into a cycling career with some US cycling teams. In 2008, he became a US National Pro Champion in Criterium.

The Bahati home, where Rahsaan grew up during his high school years with his parents and six siblings, sits on a quiet street just a few blocks off Crenshaw Boulevard in Leimert Park in Los Angeles. The house is a neat two-story with green trim, decorated with African art, family pictures, and the spoils of Rahsaan’s victories. Early on, his coaches noticed how easily he could sprint around the track, and they encouraged his parents to buy him a track bike. Nassoma Bahati, who works at Harriett Tubman continuation school for teenage mothers in Compton, and husband Rashid were supporting seven children, and spending money on a bicycle seemed extravagant.

By the end of the next year, Rahsaan Bahati had won a silver medal at the junior national track championships.

• Official website