Kisumu, Friday, October 23:
The sun-drenched tarmac of Kisumu bore witness to a masterclass in psychological warfare and physical endurance on Friday afternoon. Zimbabwe’s 19-year-old dynamo Rohnan Nicholson didn't just win the grueling 119.8-kilometre road race; he survived a calculated, high-speed continental siege.
Triggering hostilities early by bravely pushing to the front, Nicholson suddenly found himself isolated and flanked by a dangerous, rotating alliance of two aggressive Algerian riders and a fiercely ambitious Mauritian.
Instead of folding under the strategic pressure, the young Zimbabwean turned the race into an exhibition of pure composure. The grueling day ultimately exploded into a heart-stopping, five-man drag race in the final metres.
With the podium hanging in the balance, Nicholson summoned a lethal final kick, crossing the line in 3:06:12 to claim the continental crown. Mauritius’ Juliano Ndriamanampy pushed him to the absolute brink to take silver, while Algeria’s Abdelkader Bechelaghem wrapped up a brutally contested bronze.
Riders cool off during the Junior Men’s Road Race at the CAC Road Cycling African Championship in Kisumu on Friday. Photo – CAC Media
"It was a hard race," a delighted Nicholson admitted, echoing the intensity of the battlefield. "There was a lot of pressure in the final metres, but I didn’t think of it. I just did the best I could."
Bolstered by thousands of passionate Kenyan fans who lined the circuit, shouting and cheering the riders through every punishing turn, Nicholson looked back at his victory as a testament to the sport's rapid rise. "We are growing as a continent, and we seem to be getting better riders each year."
While the front-runners celebrated a photo-finish, Kenya’s Victor Gathae put on his own unforgettable display of pure African grit further down the field. Enduring a nightmare outing compounded by critical mechanical failure when his bicycle frame snapped in the closing segments, Gathae refused to abandon the race.
Kenya’s Victor Gathae is mobbed by fans after he finished the Junior Men's Road Race despite his bike having broken down. Photo - Elias Makori
Dragging his broken machine across the finish line 12 minutes and 47 seconds after the winner to finish 22nd, the young Kenyan transformed his heartbreak into invaluable fuel.
With his eyes firmly locked on the upcoming Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal later this month, Gathae is already using the painful lessons of Kisumu to sharpen his weapon.
"It’s a very big motivation for me to have finished," Gathae declared defiantly. "Before Dakar, I will focus on taking corners in training so that I can be ready for the championship."
The peleton emerges during the Junior Men’s Road Race at the CAC Road Cycling African Championship in Kisumu on Friday. Photo – CAC Media
Men's Junior 119.8km Road Race Medalists:
Gold: Rohnan Nicholson (Zimbabwe) – 3:06:12
Silver: Juliano Ndriamanampy (Mauritius)
Bronze: Abdelkader Bechelaghem (Algeria)
Gold Medal Champions Breakdown:
Individual Time Trials (ITT):
Elite Men: Alexandre Mayer (Mauritius);
Elite Women: Diane Ingabire (Rwanda);
U23 Men: Yafiet Mulugeta (Eritrea);
U23 Women: Jazilla Mwamikazi (Rwanda);
Junior Men: Tristan Hardy (Mauritius);
Junior Women: Yvonne Masengesho (Rwanda)
Mixed Team Relay:
Champions: South Africa (Gustav Basson, Joshua Dike, Ryno Schutte, Lucy Young, Lisa Bone, Magda Nieuwoudt).
Junior Road Races:
Junior Men: Rohnan Nicholson (Zimbabwe);
Junior Women: Madison Bateson (South Africa)
