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REACHING FOR THE STARS . . . Young CBZ Holdings-sponsored Zimbabwean female motocross sensation Tanya Muzinda gives a thumbs up soon after hearing that she will be registered to take part in this year’s British Girls National Championships for the first time in her career at Wroxton in Oxford in September

Collin Matiza recently in BIRMINGHAM, England
FOLLOWING her recent successful and historic tour of England, bigger and better things are now in store for Zimbabwe’s Tanya Muzinda as she aims to turn herself into a global icon of women’s motocross. Muzinda (12) became the first female rider from Zimbabwe to take part in a high-profile British junior motocross event when she competed in the 2017 HL Racing MX Master Kids UK Championships at the famous Motoland track in Mildenhall, Bury St Edmunds, which is just outside London, on May 27, 28 and 29.

This year’s three-day MX Master Kids UK Championships attracted a total of 434 junior male and female riders who were drawn from the United Kingdom and other European countries while Zimbabwe’s Muzinda was the only entry from Africa.

And Muzinda, whose trip to England was sponsored by CBZ Holdings and NetOne, made a name for herself as a talented motocross rider at the MX Master Kids UK Championships where she made history by becoming the first female racer to win a heat at this event since its inauguration in 2013.

Muzinda endeared herself to the thousands of British motocross fans who watched this event when she won Heat Three of the 85cc B Class (small wheel) on Day Two of the championships on May 28.

This later saw Muzinda being placed third overall in the 85cc B Class, which had a big field of 34 riders most of whom were boys, and the young Zimbabwean biker was rewarded with a big trophy for getting the third step on the podium at the end of this annual event at Motoland.

And Muzinda’s phenomenal achievement at this year’s MX Master Kids UK Championships have opened more avenues in a promising career as a motocross rider as her partners in England would like her to feature permanently in that country’s dirt bike-riding circuit.

In fact, Artwell Mabika, who hosted Muzinda during her two-week stay in England and facilitated for the young Zimbabwean’s participation at this year’s MX Master Kids UK Championships, told The Herald yesterday that he is now in the process of registering her for the biggest junior motocross event of the year in the UK — the 2017 British Girls National Championships — at Wroxton in Oxford on September 9 and 10.

Mabika, who is into Superbikes and also has a young son — Tyler — who is a motocross rider has now teamed-up with a Scotsman, Malcolm Ross, in arranging motocross events for Muzinda in the UK.

Ross, like Mabika, is based in Birmingham and he said his “bosses” are also into motocross “big time” and would soon be introducing Muzinda to them.

He would also like them to help the young Zimbabwean female rider in turning into a fully-fledged professional athlete overseas.

“We are definitely going to register Tanya for this year’s British Girls National Championships which are one of the biggest motocross events for females here in England and in Europe. Everybody here (in England) is now talking about Tanya after what she did at this year’s MX Master Kids UK Championships at Mildenhall.

“Before her appearance at this event, no female racer had ever won a heat in its short history and Tanya won the hearts of thousands of British motocross fans with the way she handled her machine when winning Heat Three of the 85cc B Class and they all want her back here for the British Girls National Championships in September,” Mabika said.

But Mabika indicated that he would like Muzinda to first compete in a number of national and club events in the UK before she takes part in the tough two-day British Girls National Championships at Wroxton on September 9 and 10.

“I have big plans for Tanya and I would like her to return to England in July or August and race in about four or five more national and club events which are held almost every weekend here in the UK before she takes part in the British Girls National Championships.

“I want to toughen her up first by competing in these events and I’ll then take her across to Wroxton where she will familiarise with the track ahead of the British Girls National Championships.

“And I would like to assure you that if Tanya makes it to the podium again at this prestigious event, she will become a household name and ‘a hot property’ here in England and everything will just fall into place for her in the British motocross circuit.

“We’ve now bought a brand new KTM (85) motorbike for Tanya and all what is left for her is to deliver the goods here in England,” Mabika said.

Meanwhile, Mabika’s son Tyler (9) came eighth overall out of 36 riders in the 65cc Class during a club event that was held yesterday at Wroxton, the venue of this September’s British Girls National Championships.

Tyler first came fifth in Heat One and then ninth in the second before settling for eighth place overall in his class.