Bakhala ngokungakhokhelwa abagijimi abawine kowePrince Mangosuthu
ABAGIJIMI abaphumelele kwiPrince Mangosuthu Ultra Marathon, u-Onallena Khonkhobe ophahlwe wu-Ayanda Ngcobo noSiboniso Sikhakhane bathathwa neMeya kaMasipala wesiFunda uMzinyathi, uThembisile Mchunu (okwesokudla), emuva komjaho ngo-Ephreli
Image: SIBUSISO MDLALOSE
BASADUKUZA ebumnyameni abagijimi abagijime emjahweni iPrince Mangosuthu Ultra Marathon njengoba bengakayitholi namanje imiklomelo yabo.
Lo mjaho waminyaka yonke webanga lika-52km ohlanganisa u-21km no-10km ohlelwa yiBaggarsberg Athletics Club, ogijinywe ngo-Ephreli kusukwa eNquthu kubhekwe eDundee, uxhaswe wuMasipala wesiFunda uMzinyathi.
Ompetha baka-52km kwabesifazane nabesilisa bekufanele bahlomule ngo-R150 000. Ku-21 km bekubangwa isicoco sika-R50 000. Imiklomelo yanonyaka yabagijimi ibicela ku-R900 000.
U-Onalenna Khonkhobe weNedbank Running Club nguyena owadla umhlanganiso kulo mjaho ebangeni lika-52km, walandelwa ngu-Ayanda Ngcobo we-Xcell Running Club, isithathu kwaba wuSiboniso Sikhakhane we-Entsika Athletics Club.
Kwabesifazane kwanqoba uShelmith Muriuki waseKenya, isibili kwaba wuJenet Mbhele waseMzimkhulu Striders, isithathu kwaba wuNeviah Maganzo waseZimbabwe.
Lo mjaho owasungulwa ngenhloso yokuhlonipha uMntwana uMangosuthu Buthelezi ongasekho, ukwetshenziswa ngabagijimi ukwenza izikhathi zokuzibekisela indawo kwiComrades Marathon.
Bobabili, uMbhele noMuriuki, bahlomule ngezindondo zegolide kwiComrades yanonyaka ebingoJuni kusukwa eMgungundlovu kubhekwe eThekwini, bephuma kwabayishumi bokuqala kwabesifazane.
Omunye wabagimi ogijime iMangosuthu ebangeni lika-52km, ongathandanga ukudalulwa, uveze ukukhathazeka kwakhe engxoxweni abenayo neSolezwe.
“Mfowethu, isiphatha kabi le nto yokuthi kuze kushaye lesi sikhathi singakhokheliwe. Sengiqala ukuphelelwa yithemba ngokukhokhelwa kwethu ngoba ngike ngezwa ngandlebenye ukuthi uMasipala waseMzinyathi unenkinga yemali.
Basasithembisile, sisalindile. Kodwa angisathembi kahle ngoba isivamile ukwenzeka le nto yokungakhokheleki kwabagijimi emijahweni njengoba kwenzekile ngonyaka odlule kwiMpumalanga Marathon,” kusho lo mgijimi ngokukhathazeka.
USiyabonga Ngobese ongusihlalo weBaggarsberg Athletics Club engabahleli beMangosuthu Marathon, ukuvezile ukuthi zibekhona izinkinga kuMasipala uMzinyathi ngemuva kokuthatha izintambo kobuholi obusha kodwa wathembisa ukuthi udaba lwabagijimi baphezu kwalo.
“Ngolwazi enginalo sesibatshelile abagijimi ukuthi imiklomelo yabo bazoyithola ngokuphela kukaJulayi njengoba usongwa ngesonto elizayo (leli sonto eliqalayo). Ngixoxile neMeya (Thembisile Mchunu) nemenenja kamasipala bathembisa ukuthi bazoqala maduze ukukhokhela abagijimi,” kusho uNgobese, okugcizelele ukuthi bayaxolisa ngalesi simo futhi bayabahlonipha abagijimi.
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