Lubhalwe nguRazeen Gutta
Umgwedli waseNingizimu Afrika uJohn Smith uhlose ukunqoba uma sebegwedla noChristopher Baxter emjahweni wezikebhe wababili kuma-Olympics ka-2024 e-Paris.
Ngemuva kokuwina igolide noJames Thompson, uSizwe Ndlovu, noMatthew Brittain kuma-Olympics ase-London ngo-2012, uSmith (34), ubheke ukuqeda umsebenzi wakhe ngezinga eliphezulu uma ebamba iqhaza emdlalweni wakhe wesine wama-Olympics kulo nyaka.
Naphezu kokuthatha umhlalaphansi ngemuva kwemidlalo yase-Tokyo, ukubuya kwakhe ngonyaka odlule bekungenxa yethemba lokuthola indondo yokugcina e-Paris.
Eceleni kwakhe kuzobe kukhona uBaxter oneminyaka engu-24 ubudala. Ngonyaka odlule, laba ababili baqede endaweni yesithupha kowamanqamu wabesilisa ababili eqoqweni-A ku-World Rowing Championship e-Belgrade, ngemizuzwana engu-14 kuphela eyabahlukanisa nokunqoba.
“Siyinhlanganisela entsha, osemusha osanda kufika kanye nomgwedli osemnkantshubomvu oseke wathatha umhlalaphansi,” kusho uSmith emcimbini wokuvalelisa iqembu labagwedli kuma-Olympics.
“Sesiwugijime kabili umhlaba futhi abakasiboni kahle. Umhlaba awulindele lutho kithi, abasesabi futhi basibukela phansi. “
“Lokho kusenza sibe iqembu elishayela phansi- okusenza sibe semathubeni nokunqoba – futhi lokho kusinika wonke umdlandla esiwudingayo.”
Esithombeni ngenhla: UJohn Smith noChristopher Baxter.
Umthombo: @rowingrsa