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Collin Matiza Sports Editor
YOUNG Zimbabwean junior motocross sensation Emmanuel Bako will be back on the road again this week as he heads out to South Africa to compete in the second round of the 2018 Northern Regions Championships at Dirt Bronco in Krugersdorp.

The 12-year-old Heritage Primary School’s Grade Six pupil, who is now a household name in South Africa, takes to the track at Dirt Bronco on Saturday fresh from winning the 65cc Class during last Sunday’s opening round of the 2018 Bogwheelers Club National Championship series at Donnybrook in Harare.

The Bogwheelers Club run the motorcycling sport of motocross in this country under the Zimbabwe Motorsport Federation.

In fact, Bako, who is sponsored locally by Prolific Boreholes and is now a member of one of top South African clubs Team Vision Racing Team, has been on fire since the start of the 2018 motocross season as he has won all his races in the 65cc Class both at home and in South Africa.

He opened his 2018 campaign by taking the first step on the podium in the first round of the South African Northern Regions Championships at Sand Trax in Sasolburg on February 3 and he followed this up by claiming another pole position in the 65cc Class during the opening round of this year’s South African Nationals at Rover in Port Elizabeth on February 17.

Last Sunday saw Bako returning home to race in the first round of the 2018 Bogwheelers Club National Championship series and he once again blew the opposition away in the 65cc Class to take the first step on the podium before he settled for a credible second place finish in the 85cc Class behind his arch-rival Daiyaan “D” Manuel. And tomorrow will see Bako flying back to South Africa to compete in Saturday’s second round of that country’s Northern Regions Championships which will be staged at his favourite hunting ground — Dirt Bronco.

Bako’s father and manager, Brighton “Bucks” Bako, yesterday told The Herald that his son was just “pumped up” and is raring to go on Saturday.

“He has started his season well and barring any injuries, I think he will be crowned this year’s Champion in the 65cc Class at the end of both the South African Nationals and the Northern Regions competitions,” Brighton Bako said.

After taking part in this weekend’s second round of the South African Northern Regions Championships, Emmanuel will compete in another regional championship in Pietermaritzburg on March 24 as he continues with his busy schedule in the South African motocross circuit.

Meanwhile, the country’s top female motocross rider Tanya Muzinda scored another first when her extraordinary story was told to the worldwide audience in a documentary that was prepared by the BBC children’s channel in the UK on Monday.