Dylan Bettencourt
Umsubathi uStephen Mokoka useqophe irekhodi elisha lomhlaba kwibanga lamakhilomitha angu-50 emjahweni wase-Gqeberha ngeSonto – emzamweni wakhe wokuqala! Isikhathi somdlalo waseNingizimu Afrika esingamahora angu-2:40:13 sihlonishwe i-World Athletics njengesikhathi esihamba phambili kunazo zonke ezake zaba khona.
UMokoka, umsubathi osengenele ama-olimpiki amahlandla amathathu oseneminyaka engaphezu kweyishumi egijima i-marathon, kodwa ubengakaze agijime kumakhilomitha angu-50.
Uwine umjaho cishe bese kuzophela imizuzu emine futhi waqopha umlando wadlula isikhathi ebesikhona ngemizuzu emibili.
“Ngizizwa ngikhathele kusekude phambili, futhi angazi ukuthi ngizozizwa kanjani ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kodwa ngikujabulele lokhu,” kusho uMokoka ngemuva kokunqoba kwakhe.
UMokoka oneminyaka engu-37, ungumsubathi ohlonishwayo kakhulu osewine izicoco eziningi zezwe.
Usezuze izindondo emijahweni wamamitha angu-1,500 waze wayofika kwi-marathon kanye nemijaho engamakhilomitha angu-50.
Lo mdlali waseNingizimu Afrika uthole isikhathi sakhe esihle emjahweni we-marathon ngonyaka ka-2015 ngesikhathi egijima ibanga lamakhilomitha angu-42 ngesikhathi esingu-2:07:40 e-Shanghai.
Waphinde waqopha irekhodi laseNingizimu Afrika le-half marathon lapho eqeda ngesikhathi esingu-59:36 ukuze aqede endaweni yesikhombisa kuma-World Half Marathon Championships ngonyaka ka-2020.
Ukudlondlobala kwakamuva komjaho wamakhilomitha angu-50 kuveze i-World Athletics ifaka lomjaho ohlwini lwemicimbi okuhlonishwa kuyo amarekhodi omhlaba.
Emjahweni wabesifazane ngeSonto, u-Amelework Fikadu Bosho wase-Ethiopia wenze ezibukwayo eqeda umjaho esikhathini esingaphezudlwana kwamahora amathathu.
Inhlangano eyengamele i-World Athletics ikuqinisekisile ukuthi isikhathi sikaMokoka sizobhekwa ngaphansi kwenqubo yokuqinisekiswa ukuze babe nesiqiniseko sokuthi isikhathi sakhe singena kwirikhodi lomhlaba.
Umthombo wesithombe:@TheCitizen
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