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Collin Matiza-Sports Editor

ZIMBABWE’S junior motocross champion rider, Emmanuel Bako, continued with his good run in the 2021 South African National Championship series on Saturday.

He claimed another place on the podium, at Phakisa Freeway, in the Free State town of Welkom. 

Coming up against some of South Africa’s top junior dirt bike riders, in the 85cc Pro Mini Class, Bako (14) once again proved his class as he first came second, in the opening heat. 

He then came home third, in the second heat, to finish third overall, with 42 points at the business end of the third round of the tough seven-round South African Nationals. 

First place in the 85cc Pro Mini Class went to Jordan van Wyk, who picked up 45 points mounting a Husqvarna, while his fellow South African rider Neil van der Vyver, who was also riding a Husqvarna, settled for second place with 43 points, one ahead of Bako. 

The 85cc Pro Mini Class had a strong field of 25 riders. 

Although Bako was focused, he didn’t manage to get the starts he wanted at the gates, but kept it on two wheels throughout the races to secure another place on the podium. 

This was Bako’s third straight podium finish on his Gas Gas KTM bike as he remained strongly in contention to be crowned this year’s 85cc Pro Mini Class champion in the 2021 South African National Championship series, which still has four more rounds to go, before it comes to an end in November.

Bako first claimed a place on the podium when he came third overall in the opening round of this year’s South African National Championship series at Terra Topia, in Gauteng on February 20 before he finished second in the second round at the sandy Rover track in Port Elizabeth on April 3. 

On Saturday, Bako arrived at Phakisa Freeway in Free State looking to secure the first step on the podium, for the first time in this year’s South African National Championship series. 

But, this was not to be as he was forced to settle for an overall third place behind van Wyk and van der Vyver. 

The young Zimbabwean rider is just a point off the leader in the 85cc Pro Mini Class Standings as he prepares for the fourth round, which will be held Legends Motocross Track in Gauteng on July 3. 

Bako’s father and manager, Brighton, said his son had a great race despite coming third overall on Saturday. 

“I think Emmanuel performed extremely well considering that he arrived at Phakisa a little bit tired as he only flew into Johannesburg in the early hours of Friday morning after his flight to South Africa was delayed for more than eight hours at Robert Mugabe International Airport. 

“We then had to travel to Free State for the race on Saturday morning where Emmanuel found himself in a tight four-way fight for the top honours in the 85cc Pro Mini Class with van Wyk, van der Vyver and Trey Cox,” Brighton said. 

The series now heads to Legends Motocross Track in Gauteng for its fourth round on July 3 and then to the famous Zone 7 in Cape Town on September 18. 

The last two rounds of this seven-round series will be held at BORC in Free State on October 23 and at Thunder Valley in KwaZulu Natal on November 20. 

Before that, Emmanuel is expected to compete in the fifth round of the Mayfair Gearbox Inland Championship at Chestnut Hill Motocross Park in Pretoria, South Africa, this coming Saturday.