Zimbabwe’s Rohnan Nicholson edged out Mauritius and Algeria riders in a sprint finish to claim gold in the men’s junior 119.8km road race at day three of CAC Road Cycling African Championships in Kisumu today.
Nicholson crossed the finish line in 3:06:12 ahead of Mauritius’ Juliano Ndriamanampy settling for silver while Algeria’s Abdelkader Bechelaghem completed the podium with bronze.
With several talented riders in contention, the Zimbabwean said sticking to his game plan proved crucial as the pressure mounted towards the finish line.
“There was a lot of pressure in the final metres, but I didn’t think of it. I just did the best I could,” he said.
Beyond the hard-fought victory, Nicholson was impressed by the course and the enthusiastic reception from fans who lined the streets of Kisumu to cheer the riders on.
“It’s a nice course. There are a lot of fans on the course who shout and cheer, which helps motivate me,” he said.
The Zimbabwean also hailed the quality of competition at the championships, saying the performances on display in Kisumu were evidence that African cycling continues to make steady strides.
“We are growing as a continent, and we seem to be getting better riders each year, which is good,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Victor Gathae endured a challenging outing, settling for 22nd place after crossing the finish line 12 minutes and 47 seconds behind Nicholson.
Despite the difficult race, Gathae took encouragement from simply reaching the finish line after mechanical trouble compounded his struggles against a strong field.
“The other riders had left me, and towards the end my bicycle snapped, but I just pushed myself to finish the race,” he said.
For the Kenyan youngster, completing the demanding contest was more than just a morale booster; it offered valuable confidence and race experience as he turns his attention to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which get underway later this month in Senegal.
Gathae said the experience had given him fresh motivation ahead of the international assignment, where he hopes to put the lessons learned in Kisumu to good use.
“It’s a very big motivation for me to have finished the race. It motivated me as I go to Dakar,” he said.
With the Youth Olympic Games fast approaching, Gathae days he will improve on his cornering.
“Before Dakar, I will focus on taking corners in training so that I can be ready for the championship,” he said.
Men’s Junior 119.8km Road Race
- Rohnan Nicholson (South Africa) – 3:06:12
- Juliano Ndriamanampy (Mauritius)
- Abdelkader Bechelaghem (Algeria)