Miguel Katende has returned home from the Junior World MX championships.
The 12-year-old says the global experience put him in check with regard to his pace.
Miguel and his brother Jonathan Katende along with Gift Sebuguzi travelled to Romania to represent Uganda. However, Sebuguzi could not make it to a start after suffering fractures on both legs during pre-race tests.
Jonathan did not go past the qualifying stage on Saturday while Miguel on the other hand earned a place in the final start list after two riders were disqualified in the final qualification round.
It was a big moment for the 12-year-old to be in the main race competing with the best junior riders in the world.
At the end of the race, Miguel was 36th overall.
“I was not fast enough. We need to triple efforts if I am to match or be within the top 15 especially since I am upgrading to MX85 soon,” he said.
“I thought I was a bit fast because I could beat my fellow riders in Uganda. If the time I started beating Kenyans was the time this race was organized, maybe I would have been closer,” he added.
Miguel’s worry is directed to the next big event on the calendar; the Motocross of African Nations due in August in South Africa.
“The way Frost and Kabelo were moving, it needs me to train even harder, especially the corners for me to fight for the podium in South Africa. They have been so faster than me, and we have to plan,” said Miguel.
Frost and Kabelo are South African riders who finished 6th and 18th respectively. Miguel will have to face them again next month in South Africa as they compete for the African title in MX65.
Miguel and Jonathan Katende go on record as the first Ugandan riders to ever participate in the FIM Junior MX World Championship.
France’s Mathis Valin won the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship in Romania. Janis Martins Reisulis from Latvia was second while Italy’s Simone Mancini took third place.