Zimpapers Logo

Daiyaan Manuel

Collin Matiza Sports Editor
TOP Zimbabwean junior motocross rider Daiyaan Manuel will remain humble and focused despite winning his second South African National title inside three years on Saturday in Johannesburg. Manuel was crowned the 65cc A Class Champion at the end of the seven-round 2017 South African National Motocross Championship series at Terra Topia just outside Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon.

The 12-year-old St John’s Preparatory School’s Grade Seven pupil was walking on Cloud Nine on Saturday afternoon following his latest achievement which followed his 2014 feat of being crowned the 50cc Class Champion at the end of the same South African Nationals. Speaking to The Herald shortly after his son was crowned the 2017 65cc A Class Champion in South Africa, Manuel’s mother, Yasmin, said the talented young rider will continue working hard towards his dream of one day becoming a World Motocross Champion.

“He was happy with himself. His hard work throughout the season paid off. Daiyaan is very humble, so really he didn’t show too many emotions on Saturday. He started the day with a positive attitude and was focused on winning from the practise and carried it throughout the two heats. His main focus was to keep the lead and aim for the top position on the podium,” said Yasmin, who accompanied her son to Johannesburg with her husband, Junior.

Junior Manuel doubles up as Daiyaan’s trainer and manager with the help of his wife, Yasmin, who is also part of the Bogwheelers Club, who run the motorcycling sport of motocross in Zimbabwe. Tawanda Muzinda, the father of the country’s top female rider Tanya, also gave Daiyaan Manuel a pat on the back after the young biker bagged the South African title on Saturday.

“I personally think that of all the junior motocross riders who train and ride at Donnybrook in Harare, Daiyaan is the most humble. He’s a quiet and respectful young boy, who just enjoys doing what he likes best on the track — winning. He is just like his fellow top junior rider Big “BJ” Chitima (Jnr). They are always focused and I’m not surprised that he (Daiyaan Manuel) walked away with the South African title on Saturday . . .He really deserved it,” Tawanda said.

But Daiyaan Manuel’s celebrations of winning the South African 65cc Class title on Saturday were spoiled by the national airline, Air Zimbabwe, who were reported to have cancelled their flight from Johannesburg to Harare on Sunday night. The young rider and his parents were booked on that flight and they finally managed to fly back home aboard a British Airways plane which arrived in Harare just after lunch-time yesterday.