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Collin Matiza-Sports Editor
THE spotlight will once again fall on young Zimbabwean motocross rider Emmanuel Bako when he takes part in this weekend’s Round Two and Three of the 2023 South African National Motocross Championship series at the famous Zone 7 track in Cape Town.
In fact, Bako, a 16-year-old Form Four student at St John’s College in Harare, is set to be part of the South African motocross history as he will be part of the historic weekend in which the organisers of that country’s National Championship series will, for the first time, hold a ”double header” as they will stage Round Two and Three of the tough eight-round competition over two consecutive days today and tomorrow. Another ”double header” of the series has been scheduled for July 15 and 16 at Rover in Port Elizabeth which will host Round Six and Seven on these two days. But the focus this weekend in the South African Nationals will be at the Zone 7 track in Cape Town where most of South Africa’s top male and female junior and senior motocross riders will converge at the famous track to compete in Round Two and Three of the series today and tomorrow.
They will be joined by Zimbabwe’s 125cc Class champion rider Bako who was scheduled to fly into Cape Town late yesterday afternoon for the two-day event.
Bako first warmed up for this weekend’s latest rounds of the South African Nationals by taking a credible second-place finish in the 125cc High School Class during a regional championship event at Harrismith in South Africa on March 18.
Coming up against some of South Africa’s top senior motocross riders such as Barend du Toit, Jordan van Wyk, Lucas Venter and Thor Johnson during the second round of the 2023 Northern Regions Championship at Harrismith, Bako showed no ghost of inferiority complex against these seasoned dirt bike riders from Down South as he wagged his tail vigorously to come second behind du Toit.
Bako’s brilliant performance at this one-day race meeting surprised a number of neutrals at Harrismith who quickly predicted that he will be among the men to beat during today’s and tomorrow’s Round Two and Three of the South African National Championship series at Zone 7.
And speaking to The Herald yesterday ahead of this weekend’s competition in Cape Town, Bako’s father and manager, Brighton ”Bucks” Bako, said his son was in good shape and ”he just can’t wait to get into the track” where he will once again be out to showcase his riding skills in the 125cc High School Class.
Brighton said Emmanuel is aiming for another podium finish in this weekend’s event in Cape Town.
”Emmanuel just loves to win and we expect him to bring the podium home but he has to work extra hard because it’s two SA Nationals events this weekend. It’s not easy but it has to be done.
”He will have a private fitness trainer awaiting him in Cape Town and I think he will do well. He is a much stronger rider now and I believe in him.
”The 125cc High School Class is one of the toughest classes in the South African Nationals but I’m quite confident that Emmanuel will handle the pressure, as he always does, and claim one of the three steps on the podium at the business end of the two-day competition on Sunday afternoon,” Brighton Bako said.
Online Reporter