Uganda’s hopes for glory at the 2024 Motocross of All African Nations Championship (Mxoan) have been ignited by strong performances in the first heat.
Lighting up Uganda’s hope candles with impressive time postage ahead of the climax on Sunday include Stav Asiimwe Orland, who beat all other Nation riders hands down in Mx2 with the best time score on the electronic transponder.
The Bar Aviation-sponsored rider, who commanded the Ugandan team as captain, posted the fastest times of 19 minutes 17.740 seconds to pick Uganda’s P1 finish in Mx2.
Just as his compatriot, Fortune Emmanuel Ssentamu who doubles as team assistant team captain, put up a spirited battle in MX1 class against hosts Morocco, defending Champions South Africa, but only to lose the first position in heat one to Saad Soulimani of Morocco by a few seconds apart, as South Africa’s Callan Broskie settled for third.
Uganda’s junior prospect in MX65, Ramathan Mubiru, managed P2 behind South Africa’s Viv Cameron Howell, who won the heat, as Isaac Kabera Mitima managed fifth position finish, as Larry Sekamwa and Ethan Paul Musedde picked some crucial points for Uganda in seventh and eighth positions respectively.
Uganda’s top rider in MX Lite, Malcon Gift Ssebuguzi, Son to three-time National Rally Champion Ronald Ssebuguzi, made it to second position with impressive times of 17 minutes, 57.410 seconds, 13seconds off South Africa’s Kabelo Madimetja, who won Heat 1.
“Our boys are quite impressive and promising; we are hoping for better in the last two heats,” confessed Bruce Byaruhanga, one of the rider trainers who travelled with the team to Morocco.
Byaruhanga added: “Our performance was good despite having big injuries hitting four of our riders.”
Jason Burrow, another Ugandan rider in MX Lite class, managed a 10th position, as his colleagues, Ethan Jessa Katex and Ali Kimera, picked injuries that forced them out in heat1.
However, Kimera is expected back for Heat 2&3 running on Sunday, with first clearance from the event’s medical team.
On the score chat, African giants in Motocross South Africa lead with 51 points with two heats to run, followed by Morocco in second place, as Uganda trails them in third place, a point behind the hosts.
At the lasting outing in Cape Town 2023, Uganda emerged fifth behind Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, which finished in positions 4-3-2 in that order, as South Africa, who played as host, won the African title another back-to-back year.
Courtesy Photos
