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Collin Matiza Sports Editor

ZIMBABWE’S junior motocross champion rider Emmanuel Bako was back to his winning ways during the final round of the 2018 Northern Regions Championships at Dirt Bronco in Krugersdorp, South Africa, where he swept the board in the 65cc and 85cc (Juniors) classes at the weekend.

After failing to get the top step on the podium during the penultimate round of this year’s South African National Championship series at Welkom on September 8, Bako (13) came out with all his guns blazing as he swept the opposition away in the final event of the Northern Regions Championships on Saturday.

After receiving brand new bikes from Pedzai Sakupwanya, the chief executive of one of his main sponsors, Better Brands Jewelry, Bako was in an uncompromising mood on Saturday as he came first overall in both the 65cc and 85cc (Juniors) classes.

The first heat of the 65cc Class saw Bako being relegated to second place by his main rival in the South African motocross circuit, Lucca Mynhardt but the talented Zimbabwean rider refused to be intimidated as he upped his game in the second heat which he won convincingly to claim the first step on the podium with 47 points.

Second and third places in the 65cc Class went to Mynhardt and his fellow South African junior rider Barend du Toit.

By beating Mynhardt into second place, Bako gained some measure of revenge over his South African rival who outshone him during the penultimate round of the South African Nationals at Welkom on September 8 to take full control of this class heading into the final round of this tough seven-round series at Dirt Bronco on October 20.

In fact, Bako hasn’t given up hope of overhauling Mynhardt in the fight for the 65cc title as a DNF by the South African in the final round of the South African Nationals at Dirt Bronco on October 20 might see him sneaking in to be crowned the 2018 Champion in this division.

Saturday also saw Bako competing in the 85cc (Juniors) Class and he recorded another outright victory, beating South African riders Wesley McGavin and Lucas Venter into second and third place.

Bako won both his two heats in this class to secure the first step on the podium with 50 points to crown a memorable day for himself at Dirt Bronco, which is his favourite track in the South African motocross circuit.

Apart from Bako, two other top Zimbabwean motocross riders, Regan Wasmuth and Jayden Ashwell, also took part in the final round of the Northern Regions Championships at Dirt Bronco on Saturday where the former came fourth overall in the 125cc High School Class while the latter did well to settle for second place in the main MX1 Class.

In the MX1 Class, Ashwell first came home in third place in Heat One behind South African bikers Joshua Mlimi and Tristan Purdon before he moved a gear up in Heat Two in which he swept past the field to cross the finishing line first ahead of Mlimi and Purdon.

This enabled Ashwell to garner 45 points as he finished second overall behind Mlimi (47 points) while Purdon (42 points) took bronze as he settled for third place.

Ashwell, Wasmuth and Bako will now take a two-week break before they hit the road again in South Africa where they are all expected to compete in the seventh and final round of that country’s Nationals at the same venue (Dirt Bronco) on October 20.