adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
NINE-year-old motocross rider Emmanuel Bako believes he has a good chance of claiming the South African National Championship title when he battles with some of that country’s best riders this coming weekend in Johannesburg. Bako is on the verge of being crowned the 2015 50cc Pro champion and he just needs to finish in the top two in the final round of the seven-round Monster Energy South African National Championship series on Saturday at Smoking Pistons in Johannesburg.
He came second in the last event at Teza in KwaZulu Natal early this month and the gifted rider is leading the race with 253 points, 15 points ahead of second-placed James Thompson. Wian Du Plooy comes in on third place. Bako, who is preparing for this weekend’s final round of the South African National Championship series, is optimistic of clinching the 50cc Pro title, come this Saturday.
“Preparations are going on well. I might win the next championship if I work harder and practice more with my younger brother Munyaradzi Bako. It’s tough to win the championships because you don’t just do mumble jumble in there. “For my next event, I am really going to give it a good shot plus I will be having my new bike, a KTM 2016, and with my sponsors, I think I can make it. I am training hard with my coach Stanley Mugiyo,” said Bako.
Bako said his opponents should expect some tough competition from him when they meet in Johannesburg this coming weekend. “I am expecting that I will give them all my hard work and being the last race of the series, I am really going to give them the best of the skills that I learnt from my dad (Brighton). In my class, I might win because with a new bike no one can stop or beat me,” Bako said.
At such a tender age one would ask how the Heritage School’s Grade Three pupil balances between his school-work and the sport that he loves so much. “I do my homework on the plane or I do it in the car, that’s how I handle the pressure. But it’s not that much pressure, you know us boys we don’t like school that much,” said Bako.
The young, talented rider said he is looking forward to graduating into the 65cc and 85cc Class next year but hinted that for the future, he would like to move into other events of motorsport besides motocross.
“Next year I am going to be riding in the 65cc and 85cc. I might retire from motocross like when I am 17 years old or so, start doing motoGP and do drag racing and all that stuff. The reason for retiring from motocross is because you just get hurt and stuff, fathers shouting, you know I don’t like it much, so I would rather retire to go to something else.
“The reason why I wanted to do motocross was my dad, when he was 16, he started doing motocross and he was known as ‘The Baxter’. “So it was my dad’s idea to make me ride bikes in motocross. I also like it but then when you start crushing and stuff, you won’t like it. I am enjoying it though. “I have won like 13 championships. South Africa is tough but in Zimbabwe it’s easier,” Bako said.
The young rider said he also enjoys participating in other sports such as cricket and rugby when he is not competing in motocross. “I enjoy cricket, rugby and go karting, swimming, soccer and baseball, all those boys sports. “It’s just for fun. When I am at school, I just play around. Sometimes I have to like leave school for a while and then start practising,” said Bako.
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