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Collin Matiza-Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE’S motocross champion rider Emmanuel Bako settled for second place in the 125cc High School Class during Round 8 of the Inland Championship at Terra Topia just outside Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday.
Coming up against some of South Africa’s top riders in this eighth round of the 10-round regional championship, Bako was out to redeem himself after he took a disappointing overall 12th place finish in the 125cc Class during the 2023 FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships which were recently held in Cape Town, South Africa.
He took to the track at Terra Topia on Saturday determined to return to his winning ways in South Africa where he has dominated in a number of regional events.
But that was not to be as he played second fiddle to one of South Africa’s top dirt bike riders Barend du Toit, who won both motos to garner the maximum 50 points as he went on to claim the top step on the podium.
Third place went to another top South African rider Thor Johnson (40 points).
Bako settled for second place as he collected 44 points but he was satisfied by his overall performance, according to reports from Terra Topia.
He is reported to have fought extremely well and was at one stage leading in all the laps.
He went in with a positive mind to win the race and made no mistakes as he holeshoted both heats and kept his bike on two wheels.
But Bako came short at the end of the day which belonged to du Toit.
Bako at one stage went bumper to bumper with du Toit but the South African rider had one or two tricks up his sleeves as he outwitted his Zimbabwean opponent.
And speaking to Zimpapers Sports Hub from Johannesburg yesterday, Bako’s father and manager, Brighton “Bucks” Bako, said his 17-year-old son was now preparing to race at the Legends in Johannesburg this coming weekend.
“Emmanuel will be racing at the Legends where he won the 85 championship a couple of years ago. Next weekend’s race starts on Friday to Sunday.
“It’s a big event with 400 riders registered. He (Emmanuel) will be staying in South Africa for this coming week to train with the Mlimis and Ricky Ralph.
“He had a good race on Saturday and could have won it had he not made one or two mistakes.
“It’s now back to the drawing board for him and I’m quite confident he will perform far much better at the Legends this coming weekend,” Brighton Bako said.
Emmanuel is also using his stay in South Africa as part of his preparations for the season-ending Zimbabwe Summer Series.
This year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series, which is the biggest motocross event in this country, will once again be held over three days at Donnybrook Park in Harare on December 8, 9 and 10.
And according to the organisers of this event, the Bogwheelers Club, they are expecting it to attract top riders from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Uganda and Zambia.
Last year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series was a huge success as it attracted more than 120 riders and the organisers are expecting more to enter this year’s big motocross jamboree.
Online Reporter