adminCollin Matiza Sports Editor
THIS weekend will see Zimbabwe hosting its first major international sporting event of the year when more than 200 riders from seven different countries descend on Donnybrook Park in Harare for the 2019 FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships.
The two-day event, which will be held on Saturday and Sunday, is one of the biggest motorcycling events in Africa and will see top junior and senior male and female riders from seven countries – Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and the hosts Zimbabwe – battling for the top hours in nine different classes.
The FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships is the premier event on the continent’s Union’s calendar and continues to grow in stature.
For this year, a new benchmark has been achieved with over 200 entries being received for the first time since the inception of these championships some 20 years ago.
It is particularly fitting that this milestone should be achieved by Zimbabwe Motorsport (formerly Zimbabwe Motorsport Federation), as it is they who hosted the first continental motocross championships in 1999, then known as the AMU, at the same Donnybrook Park venue as being used for this year’s event.
With teams from seven nations already entered for this event, which was last hosted by Zimbabwe in 2015, some exciting racing is in prospect and this is no doubt going to be one of the most entertaining motorsport events to be staged at the iconic Donnybrook Park in Harare.
Zimbabwe, as the host nation, have indicated that they will enter the largest team of 59 of its top junior and senior male and female riders for this event and they will be led by none-other-than the country’s champion rider Jayden Ashwell.
Ashwell, who rides in the main MX1 Class, is currently based in South Africa where he competes regularly in that country’s National Championship series with fellow Zimbabwean riders Daiyaan Manuel, Emmanuel Bako, Tristan Grainger and Regan Wasmuth.
Twelve-year-old Bako arrives at Donnybrook this weekend fresh from winning two regional Supercross and motocross events in Johannesburg, South Africa, last Friday and Saturday; and according to his father and manager, Brighton, he is raring to go and determined to take the top step on the podium in the 85cc Class. At the weekend, Bako will be representing Zimbabwe in the 85cc Class together with Manuel, Jamie Doran, Ricky Whyte, Tristan Versveld, Dilan Faasen and Joshua Halkier who are all talented young riders and are a joy to watch on the track.
Twelve of the country’s promising junior riders – Jordan Dewdney, Declan Barrett, Karl Van As, Blake Prinsloo, Munyaradzi Bako, Tariq Shelton, Riley Rocher, Jack Goby, Luke Southon, Campbell Rennie, Mugaro Kabasa and Ross Stewart – will also be in action at the weekend, representing Zimbabwe in the 65cc Class.
Unfortunately, one of the country’s top female riders, Tadiwanashe Nyamupfukudza (12), has been ruled out of these championships through injury but her five-year-old brother, Victor, will be in action, competing in the PeeWee Class, which is designed for riders under the age of seven.
Gate entry for both Saturday and Sunday is $10 per adult while kids under the age of 12 will get in for free. There will be full bar and catering as well as entertainment for children.
Online Reporter