UMafuleka nelukuluku lokuvikela isicoco kwi-Best of the Best
IZIKHULU ezahlukene zezokugijima KwaZulu-Natal, okubalwa uMqondisi Ngcobo, Alcek Skhosana, Sello Mokoena, Willie Mtolo nabagijimi ngenkathi kwethulwa ngokusemthethweni umjaho iBest of the Best Marathon webanga lika-42km eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini, izolo
Image: SIBUSISO MDLALOSE
ONGUMPETHA ka-2025 we-Ethekwini Best of the Best Marathon, uSiyabonga Mafuleka, uzimisele ngokuvikela sicoco emjahweni wango-2026 ozobe ugijinywa ihlandla lesithupha.
UMafuleka (32) ubehambele ukwethulwa kwalo mjaho webanga lika-42km eMoses Mabhida Stadium, eThekwini, izolo.
Lo mgijimi ongaphansi kweSavages Athletics Club, odabuka eJozini, KwaMhlabuyalingana, udle ubhedu kulo mjaho ngesikhathi esingu-2:24:5 ngoMashi.
IBest of The Best yaminyaka yonke ehlanganisa ibanga lika-42km, elika-21km nelika-10km, izogijinywa ngoMashi 1, kusukwa eKings Park Athletics Stadium, eThekwini, iphelele kuyo le nkundla.
Ungomunye wemijaho yokwenza izikhathi zokuzibekisela indawo emijahweni emikhulu yakuleli, iComrades Marathon yebanga lika-87km neTotalsports Two Oceans Marathon yebanga lika-56km.
Umgijimi ozodla umhlanganiso uzohlomula ngo-R15 000 kwabesilisa nabesifazane ebangeni lika-42km.
Kwelika-21km, ozophuma phambili uzohlomula ngo-R4 000, ku-10km kube ngu-R2 000.
“Kuyisifiso sami esikhulu, futhi ngizimisele ukubuyela ngiyovikela isicoco ngonyaka ozayo kulo mjaho. Ngizizwa ngisesimeni esikahle somzimba ngemuva kokuhlala isikhashana ngenxa yokulimala.
Ngigijimile kwiSouth Coast Marathon (ngoSepthemba) nakwiCheetahs Marathon eMthatha (ekuqaleni kukaNovemba), ngazibona ukuthi sengiqatha. Amalungiselelo ami ngizowaqala kahle ngoDisemba,” kusho uMafuleka.
Ngemuva kokunqoba iBest of the Best ngoMashi, uMafuleka ubesha amashushu ngokugijima iComrades Marathon kodwa waphazanyiswa wukulimala.
Nokho, unethemba lokuyigijima iComrades ngonyaka ozayo njengoba eseyibhalisele.
Insephe yomgijimi, uBongumusa Mthembu, eyinxusa lalo mjaho ihe kusho lukhulu kuyona ukuhlonishwa ngabahleli balo mjaho.
“Kuyangijabulisa kakhulu ukuhlonsishwa kwami ngabahleli balo mjaho.
Ngizimisele ngokucobelela abanye abagijimi, ikakhulu abasakhula, ngamasu okunqoba imijaho emikhulu,” kusho uMthembu, osenqobe iComrades kathathu.
UMthoko Khuzwayo ongusihlalo weRavens Athletics Club ehlela lo mjaho, uthe yize besalwa nokunxenxa abaxhasi abathe xaxa kodwa kubahlaba umxhwele ukuwubona ukhula minyaka yonke kusukela ngo-2020 okungunyaka owaqala ngawo ukugijinywa.
“Unyaka nonyaka uyakhula lo mjaho, njengoba usufinyelele ezingeni le-Abbott World Marathon Majors, okuyizinga le mijaho emikhulu emihlabeni, nezibalo zabagijimi abawungenelayo nazo ziyenyuka, ngakho lokho kuyasikhuthaza, yize sisafisa ukhule kakhulu kunalokhu oyikho.
Ngonyaka ozayo sizibekele umgomo ka-8000 wabagijimi esifisa bawungenele lo mjaho wethu.”
Phakathi kwezikhulu zezokugijima ebezizimazise umcimbi wokwethulwa kwalo mjaho, kubalwa uMqondisi Ngcobo ongusihlalo weComrades Marathon Association (CMA), Aleck Skhosana owayengumengameli we-Athletics South Africa, Sello Mokoena owayengumengameli weKZN Athletics, nenkakha uWillie Mtolo osekomitini le-CMA, ukubala abambalwa.