Vusumuzi Dube
Collin Matiza
Sports Editor
YOUNG Zimbabwean motocross sensation Emmanuel Bako warmed-up for next weekend’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships when he swept to victory in the 125cc High School Class during a regional event in South Africa on Saturday.
Saturday saw Bako competing in Round 7 of the 2023 Mayfair Gearbox Inland Championship at Dirt Bronco Raceway in Krugersdorp where he took on some of South Africa’s top motocross riders in the 125cc High School Class.
In fact, most of these riders were using Saturday’s event to fine-tune themselves for the 2023 FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships which are set to run from August 11 to 13 at the famous Zone 7 track in Cape Town.
The annual continental event brings together top junior and senior male and female dirt bike riders from several African countries who include Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
According to the organisers of this year’s African Championships in Cape Town, 200 riders have already registered to compete in this three-day event and they include a strong team of more than 30 bikers from Zimbabwe.
They will be led by Bako who, on Saturday, made his final preparations for the African Championships when he took part in Round 7 of this year’s Mayfair Gearbox Inland Championship at Dirt Bronco where he was just on fire.
A fired-up Bako convincingly won both motos to walk away with the maximum 50 points as he took the first step on the podium at the end of business on Saturday.
According to reports from Dirt Bronco, the 17-year-old St John’s College Form Four pupil took hole shots in both motos and never looked back as he waved his tail vigorously to put the rest of the 20 other riders, who competed in the 125cc High School Class, in the shade.
Bako was smooth on his riding as he took hole shots in both motos despite being chased by two of South Africa’s top riders, Damien Venter and Blake Osner, who settled for second and third place respectively.
After taking a hole shot in the first moto, the clear track in slick conditions paid big dividends for Bako as his lead continued to grow.
Venter soon took over second from Osner, but faced a deficit of more than 10 seconds to Bako.
Bako went wire-to-wire to seize control of the overall classification entering the second and final moto. Venter’s stellar charge landed him in second, while Osner held on for third.
And as he crossed the finish line, Bako punched the air in delight and quickly declared that he was more than ready for this coming weekend’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships in Cape Town where he will lead Team Zimbabwe after seasoned campaigner Ashley Thixton opted out of the big event.
Thixton chose to race in the grueling three-day Crono Rally which was held in the Northern Cape in South Africa this past weekend where he enjoyed the support of nine-year-old motocross rider Victor Nyamupfukudza and his father Simbarashe who are on their way to Cape Town for the African Championships.
In Cape Town, Victor Nyamupfukudza will compete in both the juniors 50cc and 65cc classes while his sister Tadiwanashe will represent Zimbabwe in the Ladies Class.
It might be cold in South Africa, but it’s heating up for the 2023 FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships. The last time the event was hosted in South Africa was 10 years ago.
The 2023 action will take place at the famous Zone 7 – Speedspot Motocross track in Cape Town from this coming Friday to Sunday. This is one of only a few team motorcycle sports run under the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Africa.
FIMA banner, and all participating countries have strict selection criteria to ensure only their best riders compete.
Teams from across Africa, such as Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Morocco, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, have confirmed their attendance. According to the organisers of this year’s event, the entries are record-breaking, with over 200 riders entering by the closing date.
‘’We envisage exciting racing as there is fierce competition from all the African countries to be crowned the 2023 African Champions!!!’’ they said in a statement at the weekend.
Online Reporter