Thathe Msimango
Isihlabani sakuleli esisafufusa uMbuleli Mathanga uzobhekana nomgijimi wodumo uJacob Kiplimo uma sebeyingxenye ye-Delhi half marathon e-India.
Abagqugquzeli bomjaho we-World Athletics Gold Label bameme inqwaba yabasubathi abasezingeni eliphezulu ukuba babambe iqhaza kulo mqhudelwano, ozokuba ngomhlaka-16 kuMfumfu.
Futhi abekho abasubathi abasezingeni ukwedlula uKiplimo wase-Uganda owaba umgijimi osheshayo we-half marathon emlandweni ngesikhathi egijima i-Lisbon half marathon ngo-57:31 nyakenye e-Portugal.
UMathanga oneminyaka engu-29 ubudala ubesefomini enhle kulo nyaka ngemuva kokuphumelela ukuvikela isicoco sakhe sesizwe sika-10 000m kanye nesicoco sakhe se-cross-country 10km.
UMathanga uzwakalise ukujabula ngokuthi ekugcineni athole umjaho omkhulu ngomsebenzi wakhe ogqamile.
“Kuyizindaba ezimnandi lezi kimina.
Empeleni bengingalindele ukuthi ngizothola isimemo sokugijima emjahweni omkhulu kangaka emhlabeni.
Angikakholwa namanje,” kusho uMathanga ejabule owagijila u-1:00:17 ngo-21km.
“Ngesikhathi umqeqeshi engazisa ngaso ngalesi simemo nami angizange ngikholwe. Ngizobe ngigudla ihlombe kubasubathi abadumile emhlabeni.”
UMathanga akanalo uvalo lokuqhudelana nezingwazi kulo mdlalo futhi ukujabulele ukugijima ngokubambisana noKiplimo.
“Ukuzwa uKiplimo naye esendleleni kuyizindaba ezimnandi ngakho-ke kulindeleke ukuthi kuthunyelwe izikhathi zokuzila ukudla. Ngihlose ukugijima umjaho wami,” kusho lo msubathu.
KuMdu Khumalo oqeqesha uMathanga le mpumelelo emangalisayo igqamisa omunye weminyaka yakhe emangalisayo.
Umsunguli we-Phantane Athletics Club ukholwa ukuthi ukuhlonishwa kukaMathanga kuzokwenza abantu babheke abasubathi bakuleli ngelinye iso.
“Ngingowesilisa ojabule kunabo bonke namuhla ngenxa yokuzinikela kukaMathanga njalo uma ezogijima ngosuku lomjaho.”
“Ngiyethemba ukuthi lesi sinyathelo sizogqugquzela abasubathi abaningi bakuleli ukuze bathole imijaho yaphesheya. Kuzoba into enhle kuyena futhi ngethemba ukuthi uzosijabulela ngokugcwele lesi sikhathi.”