Zim’s top rider Siddle injured
Mbachi Mutukula-Maregere Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S top rider Mitchell Siddle is likely to miss out on the South Africa tour after he injured his arm during their preparations at Harare’s BMX Groombridge track last week.
The number one rider is now nursing his fractured left arm and the team manager Andrew Donaldson says Siddle may take time to recover.
Siddle (11) is among the 13-member squad who are set to represent the country at the 2015 UCI BMX World Championships at Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, next month where their performance has been remarkable in the previous years.
The Zimbabwean side are expected to leave for Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, on July 9 and their first meeting will be on July 11.
The national team riders have intensified their preparations ahead of the South Africa tour where they are set do the “key” one racing ahead of the World Championships. The 13-member squad are now short of one rider after Siddle’s injury during the race meetings last week.
The remaining riders are now training everyday at the Harare BMX at Groombridge and are hoping to perfect their skills for their tour.
Siddle is expected to represent Zimbabwe at the World Championships in the 11-year-olds category.
The team are going to use the “key” one racing in South Africa as their final preparation for the World Championships.
Team manager Donaldson said it is sad to have the country’s top riders in the 11-year-old category injured.
“Siddle is sick now, he is nursing his fractured arm and he will only join the rest of the team if he recovers and it may take time. He is a very good rider for his age group, the team is supposed to go for a preparatory meeting in South Africa ahead of the World Championships so all we can wish for, is that we go with all the athletes.
“The rest of the team is good and all our preparations are going on well, they have been training every day.
It has been a busy practice at each session and we are glad that we have witnessed a greater improvement on their jumps, which is a good sign for a good preparatory tour.
Their fitness is excellent and if we do not have any more injuries, our tour will be very successful.
“The response from our selected players and the rest of the team has been very good and this Friday we are having another race meeting,” said Donaldson.
Zimbabwe BMX National Team
Girls: Rebekah Oberholzer (eight), Tyla-Shae Donaldson (13)
Boys : Nathan Horner(eight), Daniel Collet, Ben Oberholzer (10) , Mitchell Siddle (11), Daniel Johnson(12) , Joshua Van Blerk, Campbell Wright (13) , Andrew Chamunorwa (16) , Scott Donaldson(Junior elite) , Penias Tenthani (elite) , Tawanda Murova (17 -24).
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