daniel chigunweCollin Matiza Sports Editor
ONE of Zimbabwe’s top motocross riders Daiyaan “D’’ Manuel stole the show during the fifth and final round of the 2021 Bogwheelers Club National Motocross Championship series at Donnybrook Park Raceway on Sunday.
He scored a double by winning the 125cc and MX2 classes.
Racing against some of the country’s seasoned motocross campaigners, 16-year-old Manuel was just pumped up as he first romped to victory in the 125cc Class.
He fended off Daniel Collett, Ricky Whyte and Cameron Mellor for the overall title.
Manuel went on to be crowned the 2021 National Champion in the MX2 Class after beating former Zimbabwe champion rider Ashley Thixton and Dylan Zanin into second and third place.
The highlight of the day on Sunday was the battle for the lead in the MX2 Class between Manuel and Thixton.
The lead changed several times throughout the day, but Manuel emerged the winner.
Cameron Thixton made short work of the MX1 Class as he stormed to victory ahead of Doug Mellor and Duncan Kerwin to be crowned the king in this section.
Adriaan Olivier emerged triumphant in the MX3 Class after fending off Jordan Dewdney, who came second, ahead of Zenin Ekron.
Veteran motocross rider, Shane Thomas, took home the Masters Class title ahead of fellow “old war-horses’’ Lofty Versfeld and John Zanin, who settled for second and third places.
In the Enduro Class, the day belonged to Luke Wright, who forced Daniel West and Jourdain Du Cladier, to settle for second and third place.
Riley Rocher pipped fellow promising young rider, Emile Croisette by one point, to clinch the 85cc Class title.
Tariq Shelton came third in this section.
Rocher has also been riding in South Africa this year while 12-year-old Croisette spent most of this season training and competing in the United States, under one of that country’s top motocross trainers, Shannon Niday.
Another exciting young rider, Karl Van As, walked away with the 65cc Class title after an exciting duel on the track with Rocher and promising biker Kudzwai Chitsurura.
After coming third in the 65cc Class, Chitsurura made amends in the 50cc Class.
He took the honours ahead of Junior Bako, the younger brother of the recently crowned 2021 Northern Regions Championship series’ 85cc Pro Mini Class Champion in South Africa, Emmanuel.
Jayden Kerwin, who is also into kart racing, did well to come third in the 50cc Class.
Seven-year-old Victor Nyamupfukudza was also in the mix in the 50cc Class but he, unfortunately, failed to get a place on the podium on Sunday.
In the Pee Wee 50cc Class for young riders under the age of seven, the top six places went to Cayden Claassen, Michael Krause, Ezra Ekron, Joe Van Zyl, Keegan Ormerod and Tyler West.
All these riders are now going to take a short break before they start preparing for the season-ending 2021 Zimbabwe Summer Series which will be held at Donnybrook on December 8, 10 and 12.
Apart from local riders, the Zimbabwe Summer Series usually attracts other top junior and senior bikers from South Africa, Botswana, Uganda and Zambia.
Online Reporter