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Collin Matiza-Sports Editor

ZIMBABWE’S motocross 125cc Class champion rider Emmanuel Bako warmed-up for Round Two and Three of the 2023 South African National Championship by taking a credible second-place finish during the second round of this year’s Northern Regions Championship at Harrismith in South Africa on Saturday.

The organisers of this year’s South African National Championship series have decided to come up with a “double header’’ for the tough eight-round competition by staging its Round Two and Three on two consecutive days on April 1 and 2 at the famous Zone 7 track in Cape Town.

And Zimbabwe’s Bako, a Form Four student at St John’s College in Harare, has already entered for this two-day event where he will be fighting for a place on the podium in the 125cc High School Class.

Before taking part in the Cape Town race meetings, Bako is expected to compete in a pre-Nationals event at Zone 7 this coming weekend before plunging his KTM bike into the main competition on April 1 and 2.

Bako, who competed in the 2023 Ashbrook Hawkstone International Motocross Championships at north Shropshire in the UK towards the end of last month, was back racing on Saturday, this time in South Africa where he took part in the second round of the Northern Regions Championship series at Harrismith.

And coming up against some of South Africa’s top senior motocross riders, Bako made his presence felt in the MX High School where he pushed local lad Barend Du Toit all the way through round one and two of this race before settling for second place with 42 points in a memorable outing for the talented 16-year-old Zimbabwean rider.

Speaking to The Herald from Harrismith on Saturday, Bako’s father and manager, Brighton “Bucks’’ Bako, said this was the first time his son was racing against senior dirt bike riders in South Africa and he showed no ghost of inferiority complex against them.

“Emmanuel did extremely well today (Saturday). He was very confident, focused on point and his fitness was good. He took a hole shot and never looked back as he battled for the first step on the podium with Barend Du Toit, who is one of the most accomplished and decorated senior riders in South Africa.

“With a little bit of luck, Emmanuel could have pipped him for the first place but he finally settled for second place which was a good morale booster for him ahead of Round Two and Three of this year’s South African Nationals at Zone 7 in two weeks time.

“He is ready for this double header in Cape Town and also for the pre-National event in the Mother City this coming weekend. Zone 7 is one of Emmanuel’s favourite hunting grounds in South Africa and if all goes well on the day, I can’t see him missing out on the podium at the business end of the two South African Nationals events on April 2,’’ Brighton said.

On Saturday, Emmanuel also beat two of South Africa’s top MX High School Class riders Jordan Van Wyk and Lucas Venter into third and fourth places.

“Beating Van Wyk and Venter in this race was just a phenomenal achievement for Emmanuel. 

“We are talking here about seasoned riders but they were forced to play second fiddle to Emmanuel… What a day it was for him,’’ Brighton added.

Emmanuel is under the mentorship of France-based South African trainer Joe Tavares but back home in Zimbabwe he has engaged the services of veteran rider Warren Thorne.

He (Emmanuel) is expected to race in Europe this year and the South African competitions should give him an indication of how he has progressed in this tough motorcycling sport ahead of a landmark year for him.

Thorne has predicted a good time for the young racer whom he sees as “the future of motocross in the world’’.

“(Emmanuel) Bako is an extremely talented rider. Maybe one of  the best to ever come from Zimbabwe. He has a very bright future,” said Thorne.

The Zimbabwean recently received a huge boost when benefiting from more financial injection from his main sponsors Better Brands.

The company also bought the latest bikes which are expected to aid performance by the Zimbabwean racers including Emmanuel.

Meanwhile at 47-years-old, Thorne is plotting a come back into active motocross racing again. He last raced in the 2018 FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships in Zambia.

The two-time continental champion has set his sights on making a rebound in the Zimbabwe national championship to be held next week at the Donnybrook Raceway.

“It’s good to be back racing again. The body is trying to go as fast as it used to but at 47-years-old, the fitness is not what it has been many years ago. I don’t think there is enough oxygen in Zimbabwe for me at the moment but I will try,” he said.

“(I think) the Zambian MX of African Nations Championships held in 2018 was my last race. 

“I am a two-time All Africa champion and multiple Zimbabwe and Zambian national champion.

“Let me also give a big shout out to Better Brands. This company has put so much into motocross and helped so many people. 

“They are truly giving the sport a new lease of life.”