Online ReporterCollin Matiza
Zimpapers Sports Hub
AT just 11 years old and with only 18 months of racing experience, Engelbert Mudzimba has already achieved what many young racers dream of, becoming Zimbabwe’s ROK Cup Mini ROK champion and earning the right to represent his country at the prestigious ROK Cup Super-final in Italy.
Mudzimba’s victory marks the beginning of an exciting international chapter for the young Zimbabwean, who will travel to Italy in October to compete against 120 of the best young kart racers from more than 35 countries at the South Garda Karting circuit in Lonato, Brescia, Italy.
The 2026 ROK Cup Super-final takes place from October 13 to 17.
The international karting event brings together top global drivers across categories such as Mini ROK, Junior ROK, Senior ROK and Shifter ROK.
Mudzimba’s achievement is particularly impressive given the intensity of this year’s Zimbabwean championship, which was one of the closest the country has witnessed.
Only three points separated Mudzimba from runner-up Rayyan Savania, while a further two points separated Savania from third-placed Elroy Shamu.
With just five points separating the top three drivers, the championship went down to the wire and demonstrated the increasingly high standard of competitive karting in Zimbabwe.
For drivers such as Mudzimba, Savania and Shamu, the intense competition throughout the season has provided valuable preparation for the demands of regional and international karting.
At the centre of this development is Pole Position Karts, the home circuit of the ROK Cup Zimbabwe Championship.
The Harare facility, based at the National Sports Stadium, has become an important hub for competitive karting in Zimbabwe, providing young drivers with a dedicated racing environment in which to develop their skills and compete in properly structured championships.
Mudzimba’s rise has been remarkably quick, and for the young Zimbabwean, the event will be both a major challenge and a steep learning curve, but he will not be making the journey alone. Zac Dufty, one of Zimbabwe’s best-known kart racers, will accompany Mudzimba as his coach and mechanic.
Dufty is no stranger to the ROK Cup Super-final. He has competed in two ROK Cup Super-finals as a driver, giving him first-hand experience of the pressure, scale and unique demands of the international event.
This year’s trip will also mark his third ROK Cup Super-final as a mechanic and coach supporting young Zimbabweans.
His experience at the event will be invaluable to Mudzimba, from helping him understand the demands of international competition to working on the kart and analysing performance throughout the event.
Adding another exciting dimension to Mudzimba’s international debut is the opportunity to race with CRG Holland, one of Europe’s established professional kart racing teams.
Rather than arriving in Italy as an independent competitor, Mudzimba will be integrated into a professional Europe-an racing operation, giving him the opportunity to experience how a top-level international karting team operates.
From an 11-year-old newcomer with just 18 months of racing experience to Zimbabwean ROK Cup champion and international finalist, Engelbert Mudzimba’s journey is one that Zimbabwean karting will be watching closely.
