"Watch This Space": Benoni Go-Kart Racer Emma-Rose Dowling Finishes 3rd at COFTA Championship

• Emma-Rose Dowling, a 15-year-old South African go-kart racer from Benoni, claimed third place at the COFTA international karting championship on 24 August 2026
• The result added to a growing list of milestones for the F1 Academy Discover Your Drive driver, who is widely regarded as one of South Africa's most promising motorsport talents
• Dowling shared an emotional post crediting her family and team after the podium finish, saying the achievement was one she could not be prouder of

Emma-Rose Dowling, a 15-year-old go-kart racer from Benoni, Gauteng, finished third overall in the Senior OK-N category at the Champions of the Future Academy (COFTA) international karting championship. She shared the news on 24 August 2026 via her Instagram account, where a photo showed her standing at the podium.

COFTA is a global, cost-controlled karting championship developed in partnership with the F1 Academy. It uses a lottery system for chassis and engines to ensure results reflect driver skill rather than budget, and serves as a development pathway for young racers, particularly women, towards the F1 Academy programme.

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Rising star with a remarkable portfolio

Dowling is already one of the most decorated young female racers to come out of South Africa. She holds the title of Vice South African Champion in her division and made history as the first South African driver selected for the F1 Academy Discover Your Drive programme. She also races as a development driver for the Toyota Gazoo Racing Junior Academy South Africa and has been identified by both the Iron Dames Initiative and the FIA Women in Motorsport commission as a talent to watch.

Balancing all of this alongside her schoolwork at St Dunstan's College, she has carved out a reputation far beyond South Africa's borders, clocking hours on international circuits while still in her mid-teens.

In her post, Dowling wrote:

"I've come a long way. Countless hours behind the wheel, countless hours on planes travelling the world, and so many challenges along the way — and now, an achievement I couldn't be prouder of." She ended with a message that felt like a promise: "This is only the beginning… watch this space."

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See her podium post on Instagram here.

Supporters praise to the podium finish

People in Dowling's corner were quick to celebrate on her Instagram post:

@beninca47 shared:

"Super well done 👏🏼 That's amazing, proud of you Em 🔥"

@jarryd_wray_010 commented:

"Awesome achievement Emm'z 🏆🙌🏻🙌🏻 Super proud of you 🙏🏻🍾"

@crashnicholson added:

"Well done Emma! That's an awesome achievement. 🔥"

@ben.bakerpriv wrote:

"Well done Emma (definitely didn't plan the sound)."

Emma-Rose Dowling is also among the inspiring women featured in Briefly News’ Women of Wonder 2026: Steering the Story in SA Motoring, a project celebrating the remarkable stories, achievements, and contributions of women shaping Mzansi's motoring industry.

More on South Africans in sport and competition

• Briefly News recently reported on Minnie Dlamini unveiling the 19 finalists still in the running for the Miss South Africa 2026 crown.
• Two young South African racers are preparing to make their competitive car-racing debut after first discovering motorsport through the Motorsport Girls Academy.
• Mamelodi Sundowns suffered a surprise defeat to Golden Arrows, leaving the MTN8 title race wide open ahead of the second leg.

Source: Briefly News