Khama unleashed at Mmabesi 200

Botswana motorsport enthusiasts are expected to come in droves for the eagerly anticipated Mmabesi 200 in Serowe this Saturday. The annual Botswana Motorsport race is in its second year running and forms part of the local motorsport championship.

The fast growing two wheeler and quad event is sanctioned by BMS. Local and international riders with racing licences are expected to compete on the 200km race. This week the event organisers announced that president Ian Khama and the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development Thapelo Olopeng will participate at this year’s event.

The two leaders seem to enjoy riding their preferred quad bikes as recently witnessed at the 2017 Khawa sand dune challenge. The 2016 two-wheeler bike champion at the Desert race Vincent Crosbie is expected to compete. Crosbie is also the defending champion of the race. However, the 2017 Dakar Rally hero will be expecting tight competition from BMS championship leader Ross Branch who did not take part at the 2017 national championship. Robert Polka goes into this competition as the silver medallist.

Serowe Extreme Bikers Club hosts the event, which is one of the few motorsport events without racing cars. There will be spectators’ points in the neighbouring villages like Paje and Mogorosi. The Serowe club local organising committee member Odireleng Mmolai confirmed that the stage is set and the presence of the president will spice up the event.

Moreover race organisers are positive that the pace at which the race is growing is highly promising to be a world-class competition. BMS events have since grown in popularity and following in recent years, more especially the Desert race, spinning and bike competitions. This year event goes by the theme, ‘# in dust we trust’.