Armani Amani Gioko Crowned African MX65 Champion as Kenya Shines in Namibia

Kenya may have finished fifth overall at the 2026 FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations, but left Namibia with one of the weekend's biggest individual stories.

At the Gallina MX Park, where Southern African nations largely dominated the classifications, 65cc rider Armani Amani Gioko emerged as the standout Kenyan performer, claiming the MX65 Individual Overall title after a composed and consistent three-heat campaign.

The championship, held in Namibia from August 28-30, saw riders from across the continent battle through demanding conditions, with Amani ultimately beating competitors from South Africa and the host nation to secure the African crown.

Racing under bike number 16, Amani produced the kind of performance that combined speed with composure. He opened with a maximum 20 points in Heat 1, followed it with 13 points in a physically demanding second heat, before returning to the top in Heat 3 with another 20-point victory.

His 53-point total was enough to put him ahead of South Africa's Brayden Gareth Tucker, who collected 48 points from scores of 13, 20 and 15. Namibia's Mason Meyer completed the individual podium with 40 points.

Amani's individual success also played a major role in Kenya's third-place finish in the MX65 Team Classification. Kenya accumulated 67 points to finish behind South Africa on 93 and hosts Namibia on 75, while Uganda, Zimbabwe and Angola were left behind.

Amani's 20-13-20 scores, combined with contributions from Paul Thang'a Kihungi and Uhrie Gweth Yongo, gave Kenya enough strength to secure a place on the team podium.

The MX65 result was particularly significant for Kenya's overall campaign, helping the country finish fifth in the combined MXoAN team standings despite competing against nations with considerably deeper factory and technical support.

Kenya's performance was not built around one rider alone, with the team also producing encouraging results in several other categories.

In MX50, Kenya finished third in the team classification with 39 points. South Africa took the title with 111 points, while Zimbabwe was second on 61.

Mozelle Momilani Momanyi added another individual podium for Kenya in the Ladies MX50 class, finishing third overall with 41 points after recording 15, 13 and 13 points across the heats.

Uganda's Ariella Nakitende Katende dominated the category with a perfect 60 points and helped Uganda claim the 50cc Team Ladies title with 103 points. South Africa finished second on 51, with Kenya third on 41.

Kenya's strongest team result came in MX Lite, where the country secured silver with 72 points. Only South Africa, which amassed 107 points, finished ahead of Kenya, while Zimbabwe, Botswana and Uganda followed on 49, 40 and 40 points respectively.

The MX1 category presented a significantly tougher challenge, with the premier 450cc machines bringing together some of Southern Africa's most experienced competitors.

South Africa dominated the individual standings, with Ethan Hoffman taking the overall title on a perfect 60 points and Jayden Proctor finishing second on 51.

Kenya's Apollo Mbuki and Rohan Gandhi finished 10th and 11th respectively, collecting 15 and 12 points in a field featuring seasoned riders from across the region.

While South Africa dominated much of the overall MXoAN classification, Kenya's results in the youth categories offered plenty of encouragement for the country's motocross development programme.

For Amani, the MX65 title represents more than an individual trophy. The Kenyan was competing in a field of 33 riders representing Namibia, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia, yet managed to finish at the very top after three demanding heats.

His victory is also a significant marker for Kenyan motocross at a time when the sport continues to rebuild its presence on the continental stage.

The result demonstrates the potential of Kenya's investment in its younger riders and provides an important platform for the next generation to compete against some of Africa's strongest motocross nations.

Speaking after the championship, Motorcycle Sports Federation of Kenya Chairman Renzo Bernardi praised the entire Team Kenya contingent for its determination and discipline throughout the competition.

Bernardi said: "First, I want to congratulate all Team Kenya riders. Every rider from MX50 to MX1 gave everything for the flag. To finish 5th overall in Africa against countries with huge factory backing is a massive achievement for us."

He reserved particular praise for Amani after the youngster's standout MX65 performance. "And a huge congratulations to Armani Amani Gioko for an incredible performance - 1st Overall in MX65 in Africa. He rode with maturity beyond his years. 20 points, 13 points, 20 points for a total of 53 - beating the best from South Africa and Namibia - that is champion mentality. He has made Kenya very proud."

Bernardi also acknowledged the role of government support in making Kenya's participation possible.

"I want to sincerely thank the government for supporting the team's logistics to Namibia. Without that support, getting bikes, riders and the technical team to Gallina would not have been possible. This result is for Kenya."