Uzoba ngempelasonto owe-Comrades Marathon

Linda Ximba

U-Edward Mothibi ongumpetha wamanje “usewujahile umjaho” ngaphambi kokubuya kwe-Comrades Marathon ebuye ngemuva kwekhefu leminyaka emibili ngenxa ye-Covid-19.

Ngaphambi kwalolu bhubhane, uMothibi ubesebenzela ukuvikela isicoco sakhe. Naphezu kwakho konke lokho, uhlule uBongumusa Mthembu owawina kathathu, intandokazi uNkosikhona Mahlakwana kanye noDavid Gatebe ngo-2019.

I-Comrades Marathon umjaho we-89 km ogijinywa minyaka yonke. Ngumunye unyaka usuka eThekwini uye eMgungundlovu bese kuthi olandelayo wehla uhambe ngenye indlela. Akukhathalekile ukuthi uya phezulu noma phansi, kufanele udlule endaweni enezintaba eziningi.

UMahlakwana uza ngamandla futhi kufakazelwa ukuphuma kwakhe endaweni yesibili kwi-Two Oceans Marathon ngesikhathi uGatebe aziwa ngomsubathi ovelele owawina umjaho owawusuka eMgungundlovu uphelela eThekwini ngo-2016.

UMothibi oweqe umugqa ngesikhathi esingu-5:31:33 futhi wagijima ngemibala yeqembu le-Nedbank Running Club, utshele i-Scrolla.Africa ukuthi uziqeqesha yedwa ukuze azilungiselele umjaho onzima.

“Sengijahe kabi ukuthi lo mjaho ufike. Ngisesimweni esihle. Umqeqeshi wami uDave Adams ubelokhu engiphusha ebheka inqubekela phambili yami,” kusho lo msubathi wase-Mafikeng e-North West.

Uthe imijaho abambe iqhaza kuyo izomfaka eqhulwini uma esengena emjahweni ozoba ngeSonto. Lo mjaho uzoqala ehholo lomphakathi eMgungundlovu uphelele enkundleni yezemidlalo iMoses Mabhida, eThekwini.

Lo mjaho odume umhlaba wonke ka-90km uheha abanye abasubathi bamazwe ngamazwe ukuthi beze kuleli.

“Ngonyaka odlule ngaya kwi-Cape Town Marathon lapho engaqeda khona endaweni yesi-13 ngaqeda ngesikhathi esingcono kakhulu esingu-2:13:54. Ekuqaleni kwalo nyaka ngiwine umjaho we-JP Morgan Corporate Challenge ka-5.5km ngesikhathi esingu-17:13.

“Ngaqeda endaweni yesithathu ngesikhathi esingu-2:45:27 kowe-Nedbank Unified Breaking Barriers ngoNdasa ngaphambi kokuwina i-Fortress Reit Half Marathon e-Rustenburg. Bekungelula njengoba bengiqhudelana nezintandokazi ezinjengoLucky Mohale,” kusho uMothibi.

Abesilisa nabesifazane abawinile bazogoduka no-R260 000 bese kuthi abayishumi abaphume phambili esigabeni ngasinye bathole u-R12 000 umuntu ngamunye.

Izihloko zakamuva