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ZIMBABWE’S junior motocross champion rider. Emmanuel Bako, buried himself in glory on Saturday after he was crowned the 85cc Pro Mini Champion of the 2021 Northern Regions Motocross Championship series in South Africa.
The 14-year-old dirt bike rider stormed to the title after another convincing win during the sixth round at Legends track in Pretoria.
The St. John’s College pupil won all the six rounds of the series whose races were held at different venues in the Gauteng Province.
He finished season with another stellar performance in the 85cc Pro Mini Class in which he was just untouchable at the Legends track where he lifted his first major motocross title, since he started racing in that country, at the tender age of six.
Bako fired the early warning shots by winning both heats in the 85cc Pro Mini Class in style to claim the first step on the podium ahead of his South African rivals Ryan Adler and Bester Cobus.
The 85cc Pro Mini Class had a good field of 14 riders.
Saturday’s race meeting was also a pre-national event where some of South Africa’s top junior and senior riders got the feel of the track at Legends.
Bako was on fire on as he first took a hole shot in Heat One and never looked back until he finished first.
In Heat Two, Bako failed to take a hole shot but on the second corner of the first lap he was leading again, riding his brand new 2021 KTM, which was sponsored by Better Brands Jewellery of Zimbabwe, with aplomb.
The exciting Zimbabwean rider punched the air with delight when he crossed the checkered flag and was joined in celebrating this sweet victory by his father and manager, Brighton.
“Emmanuel has put in a lot of hard work to archive this considering he had to balance school and racing every weekend of his life in South Africa,” said Brighton.
“God has and is still doing wonders in his life.
“As a parent, I think I have done the best for him and I will still do the best for him. I will also pray to God for Him to guide him. He has worked so hard and it has paid off.
“We would like to thank Peter Raaf, the bike mechanic, and Emmanuel’s main sponsors, Fuchs Silkolene Zimbabwe and Better Brands Jewellery, for the support they give us.
“The 2021 regional championship in South Africa has gone to a Zimbabwean rider and it’s a blessing. “South Africans would have loved to have the championship won by one of their own but guess what, Emmanuel said no and he vowed to take it to Zimbabwe.
“It was an amazing race on Saturday on a well prepared track. He was so confident and is now itching to race in the next race, which is the final round of this year’s South African Nationals, and will be held on November 20 at Legends track again.”
* The Herald