dyton mupawaenda
Takudzwa Chitsiga-Zimpapers Sports Hub
Zimbabwe is set to host the 2025 African BMX Championships this Sunday at the Mount Pleasant Cycling Club in Harare, marking yet another moment of continental spotlight for local cycling.
This will be the third time in just two years that Zimbabwe has staged the prestigious event, further cementing its growing reputation as a reliable home for African BMX competitions.
Cycling Zimbabwe Secretary-General Elsie Mahumbe confirmed the development, hailing it as a significant milestone for the sport and a rare opportunity to showcase the country’s potential – both in terms of sport and tourism.
“Hosting the continentals does a lot for the country,” Mahumbe said.
“In terms of tourism, you get a lot of riders coming in. Usually, BMX riders are youth athletes who travel with their families, so it gives Zimbabwe the exposure that it needs in that regard.”
From four-year-olds to elite professionals, the championships will feature a wide range of age categories, bringing together riders from across Africa in what promises to be a vibrant, high-energy display of speed and skill.
“There are so many things that happen when you bring in a continental,” Mahumbe continued.
“If it was being held elsewhere, you’d be limited in terms of the number of people you can expose to that level of riding. But in this case, the continent is coming to Zimbabwe – which means we will have as many athletes as possible competing right here.”
Mahumbe revealed that riders from countries including the Central African Republic, Sudan, Egypt, South Africa, and Côte d’Ivoire are expected to compete, making this one of the most diverse editions of the championship to date.
Beyond the thrill of competition, the event also brings a surge in technical development.
In the build-up to the championships, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the global governing body for cycling, has rolled out several capacity-building workshops in Harare.
“At the moment, we are hosting a training camp at the Bike Addicts BMX Track,” Mahumbe said.
“Some teams, like Central African Republic, were expected to jet in as part of the pre-event activities. These camps are crucial for growing the sport.”
The training programmes are not limited to athletes. UCI has also facilitated clinics for coaches, mechanics, and commissaries – the officials responsible for ensuring rules are enforced on race day.
“We need that pool of skills to develop the sport,” Mahumbe explained.
“To create a good product out of cycling in Zimbabwe will require well-trained commissaries, who are like our referees; coaches to groom better athletes; and mechanics to maintain equipment. It really does a lot.”
As the final touches are put in place at Mount Pleasant, excitement is building – not just for the races themselves, but for the wider ripple effects the event is expected to bring to Zimbabwean sport and tourism.
With the continent descending on Harare this weekend, Zimbabwe is once again pedalling into the continental limelight – and loving every second of it.
Online Reporter