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Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
RISING young Zimbabwean motocross rider Emmanuel Bako will next year graduate to ride in the 65cc A class after an impressive outing in the 2015 season which saw him narrowly missing winning the South African National Championship’s 50cc Pro title.
This year, Bako (9) took part in the tough seven-round Monster Energy South African National Championship series in which he was pipped for the 50cc Pro title by James Thompson of South Africa.
The 50cc Class in this year’s South African National Championship series came down to the wire and was one of the most competitive classes this season. Thompson finished tied on points with Bako.
Because Thompson had more heat wins, he would claim the 50cc Pro title ahead of the talented Zimbabwean rider.
And after missing out on the 50cc Pro title this year, Bako, who was one of the three nominees for this year’s Zimbabwe Junior Sportsman of the Year award, has vowed to return next season with a vengeance as he will be riding a bigger machine which will see him moving a class up into the 65cc A Class.
In fact, Bako had a taste of what it is to ride in the 65cc A Class when he competed in the three-day 2015 Zimbabwe Summer Series at Donnybrook in Harare a couple of weeks ago, where he finished second overall in this section behind Daiyaan Manuel.
Bako’s father and manager, Brighton, revealed yesterday that his son will once again be targeting both the Zimbabwean and South African national titles next year.
Brighton Bako said they are targeting several events next year and his son will have to race in a higher class — the 65cc A Class.
“The major events we will be targeting next year will be the South African National Championship series as well as the WOMZA events in which he did well when he took part in the 50cc class this past season Down South.
“We will also take part in the local club and national events. We will also seek to get a South African licence.
“This year we progressed well and if we continue from there then we are hopeful that we will improve next season,” Brighton said.
He said his son will also take part in a number of international junior motocross events in Europe as he has matured now.
“We are targeting events in Europe as he has matured and is now very fit for the challenges. He has grown and is hungry for success which makes him suitable to participate in the 65 A Class.
“The good thing is we managed to get the release letter and that is a great move for us and we hope to improve this coming season. We are still to get the whole budget of the events we will take part in,” Brighton added.
Bernd Wulffen of the GeBe Education and Sports Foundation, a German non-profit making organisation which has connections with several national sport associations in Germany, recently indicated that they were willing to help young Emmanuel Bako to compete in a number of junior events in the European country next year and beyond.
This year, the GeBe Foundation helped another young Zimbabwean rider — Manuel — to go for a two-week training camp in Germany ahead of the 2015 FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships which were held here in Harare towards the end of August.
And Wulffen indicated that they would like a number of junior Zimbabwean motocross riders, including Emmanual Bako and female competitor Tanya Muzinda, to go to Germany for a similar training programme as well as competing in a number of national events in that country, starting from next year.
Brighton said they were more than willing to take up the offer from the GeBe Foundation which will see his young son going to Germany to race there on a regular basis as this will only help him to turn into a fully-fledged professional motocross rider.
Online Reporter