HARARE - Zimbabwe Bmx president Paul Denslow has backed his riders to excel at the Bmx World Championships that begin next week in Rotterdam, Holland.
At least 4000 riders will battle for honours in Holland’s second-largest city with 13 Zimbabwean riders announcing their presence across the challenge and junior elite categories.
Zimbabwe faces a daunting task to leave a mark against some of the world’s top riders but the Tafi Machingaidze-coached team will not be short of talent to carry them through.
2011 world champion Matthew Denslow who is the reigning world number four rider in the 13-year-old class will be one of the country’s leading contenders.
He will joined by 2010 world champion Tayne Turnock in the 13-years boys' class.
“We have huge confidence in our junior class been the seven-year-old girls and seven-year-old boys which Zimbabwe will be represented by Rebecca in the girls’ class as well as Daniel Collet and Nathan Horner in the boys’ classes,” Denslow told the Daily News yesterday.
“These three riders have just returned from the South African National Series where they won their respective groups and have shown they are ready to take on the rest of the world.
“Ben Oberholzer, Chase Smythe and Mitch Siddle again are looking in top form and we expect excellent results from these three riders.
“Ben and Mitchell also have recently returned from South Africa where they cleaned up their respective age groups and Chase Smythe who was unable to attend has just won the Zimbabwe National Series.
“Josh and Daniel will represent Zimbabwe in the 11-year boys’ class.
They have a very hard group with some of the world best riders stacking this group. Both riders are ready to take on this challenge and we look forward to some excellent racing from these two.”
Zimbabwe Bmx will also be sending three development riders to the World Championships in the form of Andrew Chimanorwa, Tawanda Marova and Penias Tentani.
“We are very proud with this achievement as funds have not been available in the past two years to be able to make this a possibility,” Denslow said.
“We expect big things from all three of these riders and I know they will make Zimbabwe proud. The management would like to thank all our sponsors and well wishes who have once again made participating at the World Championships possible.”