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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
SHE’S done it!
Young female motocross rider Tanya Muzinda’s star continues to shine after she received the 2015 Zimbabwe International Women’s Awards’ Sportswoman of the Year award over the weekend in the United Kingdom.

The awards were founded by Juliana Jonathan and Maud Goba in 2013 to celebrate and recognise women who have contributed to the community in various sectors, including sport.

This year’s ZIWA awards-giving ceremony was held in Birmingham on Saturday night.

According to the ZIWA official website, 21 of the 22 categories, including the Sportswoman of the Year award, are open to public nominations before a panel of judges go through a rigorous process of shortlisting the nominees.

And 11-year-old Muzinda was vying for the Sportswoman of the Year award along with long-distance runners Rutendo Nyahora and Sharon Tavengwa, golfer Yolander Mubaiwa and Teurai Chanakira.

The nominees were announced in August with the online voting process starting soon after. Voting closed on September 20.

And Muzinda got the award after she picked up more votes than the other four nominees.

Speaking to The Herald from England yesterday, Tanya’s father, Tawanda, said his daughter received a standing ovation when she was handed her award before a full house at the historic Council House in Birmingham on Saturday night.

“Tanya was so excited. It was an emotional moment for her when she was called up to the podium to receive the award. She received a standing ovation and she just cried . . . It was unbelievable.” Tanya, who received a floating trophy, also thanked all the people who voted for her and she added that winning the ZIWA Sportswoman of the Year award will help her to scale greater heights in the demanding sport of motocross.

“Saturday night was a very special night for me because winning the ZIWA Sportwoman of the Year award shows that there are people out there who are following me in my career as a female motocross rider and I wouldn’t be where I am today without their support.

“I would like to thank all my fans out there for their support and I’m determined to scale greater heights in motocross.

“I would also like to thank my mum and dad who have been giving me some tremendous support since I started riding when I was about seven years old . . . They are so special to me. Last but not least, I would like to thank all the motocross riders who ride under the Bogwheelers Club in Zimbabwe who are now part of my family . . . I dedicate this award to all of them,” Tanya said from England yesterday.

Tanya has had a good season so far and in August she competed in the FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships held at Donnybrook in Harare.

She managed position seven in the women’s 85cc Class which featured 11 riders from South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. She was the youngest rider in her category.

Locally, Tanya has had to compete with the boys since there are few female competitors in Zimbabwe and the FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships were her first time competing with women.

In fact, Tanya is the first black female rider to win a championship in the history of motocross in Zimbabwe since its inception in 1957.

At a very young age, Tanya ditched the four wheels of karting for the two wheels and in 2013 she won a gold medal in South Africa at the FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships at Muldersdrift just outside Johannesburg, where she was named the Most Outstanding Female Rider.

Tanya is the European Union’s Honorary Ambassador for Youth, Gender, Sports and Development in Zimbabwe. The young motocross sensation had the opportunity to train under the guidance of three-time world women’s motocross champion Stefy Bau of Italy in 2013, which she says has helped her improve her motocross riding skills.

Last year she got a brand new KTM bike from the then outgoing European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe Aldo Dell’Arricia.

Tanya is expected back in the country on Thursday from the UK together with her parents who had accompanied her to attend the ZIWA awards in Birming- ham.