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Collin Matiza Sports Editor
TEMBA Mazvimbakupa of the Zimbabwe Motorsport Federation believes the future of motocross is bright in this country after watching several youngsters taking up the sport in the past couple of years. Speaking on the sidelines of the Bogwheelers Club’s 2013 club championship prize-giving function at Sables Motorsport Club in Harare last Friday night, Mazvimbakupa urged the custodians of motocross to put in place “a proper junior development programme” which will help these young riders turn into world class athletes in the future.

“I think we now have depth at junior level in Zimbabwe because quite a good number of young riders are coming through the ranks and what we now need to do is to concentrate more on them so that we groom and nurture them nicely, and I think in five years time, we will have some world class riders.

“What is most pleasing to note is that most former motocross riders are encouraging their children to take up the sport and the kids are coming in numbers.

“I don’t see the sport dying in this country like what has just happened to motor rally. In motor rally, most of the (ageing or old) drivers just decided to retire and they completely abandoned the sport but that’s not the case in motocross. The sport is on the rise because of the keen interest that’s being shown by the parents who are involved in it.

“The future really looks bright for motocross in Zimbabwe. We also have a number of parents who are making sacrifices and spending fortunes in their quest to turn their kids into professional motocross riders and I would like to pay tribute to people like Big ‘Bigs’ Chitima, Tawanda ‘Polycup’ Muzinda, Innocent Masimo, Lee Chigumba (Snr), Junior Manuel, Mike Mawarire (Snr), Kuda Mhene (Snr), Tobias  Musariri and Bako who are all making everything tick in this sport at the moment. They all deserve Oscar awards for this,” Mazvimbakupa said.

The past few years have seen a number of young, talented riders taking up motocross in this country and they include the likes of Big “BJ” Chitima (Jnr), Mike and Tyler Mawarire, Majaji and Nyasha Musariri, Ryan Masimo, Daiyaan Manuel, Kuda Mhene (Jnr), Lee and Mudiwa Chigumba, Tanya Muzinda, Ricky Whyte, Davin Cocker, Tristain Grainger, Jordan Dewdney and Emmanuel Bako.