Times Of Swaziland: BLAKE, DYLAN FINISH IN TOP 20

BLAKE, DYLAN FINISH IN TOP 20
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BY PHOLSILE HLOPHE on 16/05/2019 08:37:00


MBABANE – It was a rather stiff competition when the junior Eswatini riders
hoisted the kingdom’s flag during the motocross completion in France.
The two 14 year old riders, Blake Young and Dylan Kirk, departed the kingdom
last week Monday and competed on Saturday.
There were 40 riders on the day. Young rode bike number 45 and finished in
position eight while Kirk, whose bike number was 43, finished the race at
position 18. The magnitude of the competition was intense as the two riders
finished in 10 seconds interval.
promised
They have one more race before the competition comes to a halt and the junior
riders have promised to do the kingdom proud, hoping for a podium finish.
“They have one more race on Saturday and I observed that riding was tough for
them, especially in a muddy and mountainous terrain. They stood up to the
challenge and really outdid themselves, considering that they were competing
against riders who practice every day under those conditions,” read a comment
from Blake’s father, Denzil Young.
revealed
During an interview with Blake, before flying to France, he revealed that he
started riding at the age of three in the company of his father, and had already
competed and came up on top in cross-border races including South Africa,
Botswana and Zimbabwe. The two riders are a true reflection of dedication,
commitment and hard work.
“Riding overseas has always been my goal for a long time now, and finally I
can see the results of the hard work I have invested over the years. I rode my
first race in Eswatini just before my fourth birthday and since then I have
fallen in love with the sport and have competed in all Eswatini races and in
South Africa, where my father afforded to take me,” he said.
grateful
The junior riders, who are still scholars, mentioned that one of their
challenges was allocating enough time to their training but most importantly
thanked their parents and South African coach Michel Cassanova’s guidance and
support.
They are also grateful the sponsors who contributed in making their
international trip possible. These companies are PKF Swaziland, Rob’s Total
Filling Station, Alternative Energy, Alfie Cox Racing team, Thor, TRP
Distributors and Mogul, among local followers and supporters. The duo is
expected to return home next week Tuesday.