Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
Zimbabwe dominated the Confederation of African Cycling (CAC) BMX African Continental Challenge (Afcon) that was held at Busters Cycle Park in Bulawayo on Saturday.
Team Zimbabwe was represented by three clubs — Busters BMX Club, Bike Addicts from Harare and Harare BMX Club. The continental championships fall under the international cycling calendar. However, only Zimbabwe and South Africa were able to make it.
The event was kicked off by the under-six boys and was won by Liam Stanton from Busters Club, who came first in all his races. His teammate, Jude Fourie came second and Andre Nharingo from Harare BMX Club finished third.
Harare dominated the seven years boys category. Joshua Changadzo, Thomas Fadwick and Mambo Kabasa finished first, second and third respectively. They are all from Harare BMX Club.
The race for boys aged eight was won by another Harare BMX Club cyclist, Eli Eceolaza, followed by Busters’ Elisha Gore and Harare’s Tirivashe Chinhara finished third.
South Africa’s Zack Fourie won the nine-year old’s race, followed by Kyle Jansen Van Vuuren from Busters and Charles Lucas from Harare BMX Club finished third.
Another South African cyclist, Travis Fourie took home the ten-year-old gold medal race, Nkosilathi Nkala from Harare BMX Club finished in position two while his teammate, Joao Caverna came third in a race that had six entries.
Busters’ Kai Wilmans cycled first when the 11-year-old boys took to the track. He was followed by Roneiwa Ndlovu and Marcus Nascimento, both from Harare BMX Club. Rayhaan Arab finished last as the age group only had four entries.
Tariq Shelton from Harare BMX Club won the 12-year old’s contest and his teammate, Emmanuel Kagande came second. Busters’ Declan Maguire took home bronze and the age group had six entries.
The 13 years age group had five entries, Bike Addicts’ Emmanuel Gore won it, followed by Tavonga Guveya in second and Busters’ Prince Prescott Sithole in third place.
The 14-year old’s had only two entries and Luca Savo came first then in second place there was Ashton Kaduku, both from Harare.
Andrew Posthumus from South Africa, Brendan Maguire from Busters, Bongani Guveya from Bike Addicts won the 15-year old’s, 16-year old’s and 17-24 years old’s races, respectively. Takudzwa Mehlo from Harare BMX Club won the over 25 race.
The main event of the men’s contest known as the Men Elite was won by South Africa’s Tyler Klumper and his countryman, Alex Whitehead took second. Harare’s Joe Ruwoko won bronze and Tawanda Marova from Harare finished fourth whilst Bike Addicts’ Simon Martin came last.
Cycling Zimbabwe president, Norman Bourne was not to be left out as he competed in the cruiser men category. Bourne came second after Malone Kaduku from Bike Addicts.
On the ladies’ side, Inyasha Gore won the under-six’s contest whilst in her seniors’ race Talia Nothando Maruta from Busters came first. Chikondi Mtasa from Bike Addicts came second and Harare’s Alexis Chigumba finished third in the seven- and eight-years old’s race.
Hannah Chambe from Bike Addicts won the nine and 10-years old’s race. Astrid Van Der Merwe from South Africa won the 11- and 12-years old. Mellisa Pekani from Bike Addicts won the 13- and 14-years old’s race and Michelle Knott from Busters took home the 15- and 16-years old’s gold medal.
Hana Taylor won the cruiser senior women championship and Kudakwashe Maskwa from Harare won the cruiser mix followed by Ashleigh Gore and Ruvimbo Mtasa, both from Bike Addicts.
Speaking to Chronicle Sport, Busters BMX Club coach Tatenda Mbalame said he was happy with the way his team performed.
“I’m very proud of the team. They did very well because what we normally do is that we practise two days a week and the Harare guys practise five days so I was thinking they are going to come and give us a hard time,” said Mbalame.
The coach said they are now preparing for the nationals which are scheduled for November and he believes that his team will do better.
“They have learnt some tactics and stuff and we are going to train more so that maybe in November they are going to show them how it’s done as well,” said Mbalame.
This was the first international event to be hosted in Bulawayo as previous events were held in Harare with the last one being in 2015.
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