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Emmanuel Bako

Collin Matiza Sports Editor
Sunday will see the staging of the sixth and final round of the 2017 Bogwheelers Club National Motocross Championship Series at Donnybrook Park in Harare. A number of the country’s top junior and senior riders are expected to be in action on Sunday as they look to be crowned the champions of several classes they were competing in during what was another exciting motocross season.

Although this year saw the number of motocross riders dwindling due to the harsh economic climate in this country, some bikers still managed to make their way to Donnybrook where they competed in both the national and club championship series.

And Sunday will be another busy day for these riders as they take part in the final round of the national championship series which they will also use to fine-tune themselves for next month’s big international event – the Zimbabwe Summer Series.

The Zimbabwe Summer Series is the country’s premier motorcycling event which is held annually during the second week of December and it usually attracts top junior and senior riders from neighbouring countries such as South Africa, Botswana and Zambia as well as those from Swaziland. This year’s Zimbabwe Summer Series will, for the fourth-year running, be held over three days at Donnybrook next month. It will open with two Supercross (night racing) events on December 13 and 15 followed by a full day of motocross action on December 17.

And some of the country’s top junior and senior riders will use Sunday’s final round of the 2017 nationals to gauge their form ahead of the Zimbabwe Summer Series and among these riders will be the exciting young biker Daiyaan Manuel who is expected to walk away with both the 65cc A and 85cc titles.

Manuel (13) has been in dominant form throughout this season and this saw him being crowned the 2017 65cc champion in South Africa and he will be out to put the icing on the cake by going on to win both the 65cc A and 85cc titles locally on Sunday. Locally, Manuel has this year been involved in a “Battle Royale” in the 65cc A and 85cc classes with fellow talented young rider Emmanuel Bako (12) who is also a joy to watch on the track.

Emmanuel’s father and manager, Brighton “Bucks” Bako, confirmed yesterday that his son will, on Sunday, race in both 65cc A and 85cc classes where he is expected to give Manuel a good run for his money. The country’s top female rider, 13-year-old Tanya Muzinda, will also be in the mix in the 85cc Class.

Muzinda has had a stellar season this year which saw her competing in England twice in May and September, bringing back two bronze medals from two major international events there.

In fact, in May, Muzinda made history by becoming the first female rider to win a heat at the British MX Master Kids UK Championships 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.

She followed this up by winning another bronze medal in the 85cc Class (small wheel) during the British Girls National Championships at Wroxton in Oxford, England, in September.

And this Sunday, Muzinda will be back in action at Donnybrook where she will be racing against Manuel, Tristan Grainger, Emmanuel Bako and Reagan Evans in the 85cc Class. In fact, Muzinda will take to the track on Sunday occupying third place behind Manuel and Grainger in the 85cc national standings.