ZIMBABWE may have to host the momentous FIM Africa Continental Motocross Championships without top-rated rider Jaden Ashwell, who has reportedly snubbed the offer to race for Zimbabwe at the event set for August 28 to 30.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
The lanky former Zimbabwe motocross champion is yet to race in the country since his rather unsatisfactory outing at the 2014 Summer Series in December.
Bog Wheelers Club chairman Shaun Whyte told NewsDay Sport that Ashwell had declined the offer to represent Zimbabwe, while revealing that another former Zimbabwean champion, Sean Mitchell, who is back in the country, had made himself available.
“Sean Mitchell has accepted to represent Zimbabwe when we host the continental championships in August, but with Jaden Ashwell, it’s a different case. We offered him the opportunity to come and represent Zimbabwe on home soil and he declined.
“So as far as I am concerned, we have closed the door on him even if he changes his mind because you ought to have competed in your country for you to represent the country in the competition,” Whyte said.
Ashwell has been active in South Africa motocross where he has been competing since the beginning of the year, recording some mixed results.
Zimbabwe will have to contend for top honours with neighbours South Africa who seem to be a shoulder above the rest in as far motocross is concerned in Africa.
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The motocross team looks formidable this year with a lot of young riders on top of their game, namely Emmanuel Bako, Travis da Silva, Daiyaan Manuel, Davin Cocker, Kuda Mhene, Reagan Wasmuth, Brad Perry and Cameron Thixton, among others.
Commenting on the motocross national championships held at Donnybrook last Sunday, Whyte said: “The weekend event was huge. We got the best of entries with between 70 and 80 overall riders registering to participate with the 125cc class recording the most entrants which is great as we ready for the August big event.”
The Bog Wheelers Club chairman added: “We have another two races, the next meeting being on the 5th of July and you can bet that after these two, we are going to be ready to win the continental championships. The track is ready now except for some few touches.”
Young Bako was in top form on Sunday as he won the 50cc as well as the 65B classes ahead of Da Silva and Ryan Masimo respectively.
There were also routine wins for Cocker, Mhene, Wasmuth, Thixton, Phil dos Santos and Blaize Thomas in their respective classes.
Zimbabwe’s only female rider, Tanya Muzinda, an obvious candidate for a medal at the continental championships, finished a respectable third in the 65A class behind Mhene and Manuel, while a new star, Joshua Halkier, is rising in the PeeWee class.
