Tanya falls in love

Collin Matiza in BIRMINGHAM, England
TOP Zimbabwean female motocross rider Tanya Muzinda is finally in love.

Muzinda, who recently made history by becoming the first female rider to win a heat at the British MX Master Kids UK Championships, has now fallen in love with the British motocross circuit and is now looking at taking part in more events in this part of the world.

In fact, the 12-year-old talented Zimbabwean rider has indicated that she would love to take part in next year’s Master Kids UK Championships after she set the scene alight during the 2017 edition of the same competition where she surprised all and sundry by finishing third overall in the 85cc B Class (small wheel) at the tough Motoland Mildenhall track at Bury St Edmunds just outside London at the weekend.

Muzinda, who is sponsored by CBZ Holdings and NetOne, is also looking forward at taking part in the British Girls National Championships which will be held at Oxford in September this year. Speaking to The Herald after winning a bronze medal at the 2017 British MX Master Kids UK Championships on Monday, Muzinda said she was really impressed by the standards of motocross in England and would like to take part in more events in this country in the next couple of years.

“From what I’ve just seen, motocross is taken seriously here in the UK and all events attract a large number of riders and this makes competition stiffer and more exciting. “So, I’ve just spoken to my father and trainer (Tawanda ‘Polycup’ Muzinda) who has agreed to enter me into more British events so that I gain the much-needed international exposure.

“God-willing, we are now going to start by taking part in this year’s British Girls National Championships in September and then make plans to return to England for next year’s MX Master UK Championships,” Tanya said.

This year’s British Girls National Championships are set to be held on September 9 and 10 at Wroxton in Oxford. They attract all the top junior and senior female riders from the United Kingdom and other European countries. Tanya’s host here in Birmingham, Artwell Mabika, has also indicated that he would like to see her competing in more British motocross events.

“In fact, what we have decided to do now is that we are going to buy the bike that Tanya used during this last weekend’s British MX Master Kids UK Championships and this will see her having a machine of her own here in England.

“This will also see Team Tanya cutting the costs of her participation here in England as she will no longer have to hire or borrow a bike to use in her races.”

“So, we have agreed with Team Tanya that Tanya should now set her base here in Birmingham and this will see her making frequent visits to the UK to take part in a number of high profile junior and senior events which are spread across the year,” Mabika said.

Mabika, who has a strong passion for motorcycling events, also has a son – Tyler – who is into motocross and the nine-year-old rider will now combine forces with Tanya and form Team Zimbabwe.

Tanya’s father Tawanda also added that his daughter will next year move from small to big wheels and this means she will going a class up into the 125cc section.

“As you can see Tanya is growing or getting taller and taller and she will be moving a gear up into big wheel riding. This will also see her riding against senior riders here in England.

“But I would like to emphasise that Tanya is not going to abandon her base in Zimbabwe. She has just found a new home in England and this will enable her to compete in major international races here in Europe, coming from her base in Birmingham.

“This is all part of our move or drive to turn Tanya into a fully-fledged professional rider and I think this can only be realised if she sets base here in England and probably move to the United States later on in her career,” Tawanda said.

Meanwhile, Tanya is expected to take part in one more big event in England this coming weekend before returning to Zimbabwe on Tuesday afternoon to begin her preparations for September’s British Girls National Championships.