UMNIKAZI nobuye abe umqeqeshi wePhantane AC, uMdu Khumalo uveza ukuthi ukungapholi kwezinhlungu zokudlula emhlabeni kobewumgijimi wakhe, uMbuleli Mathanga kwenza baye bezihudula kwiTotalsports Two Oceans Ultra 56km Marathon.
Emjahweni omkhulu webanga lika-56km, isibhamu sizoqhuma ngo-5.15 ekuseni ngoMgqibelo. Koka-21km sizosho ngo-6.15 ekuseni ngeSonto.
Nyakenye iPhantane exhaswa yiyo iTotalsport, yenze kahle kakhulu kulo mjaho, abagijimi bayo uGerda Steyn enqoba kwabesifazane ibanga lika-56km ngesikhathi esiwu-3.29.06 nokuyirekhodi elisha kuleli banga kulo mjaho.
Kwi-21km, uMathanga washaya intambo ngo-1:03.58. Ngo-2022 wayephume isine.
Kusaphele izinyanga ezine vo lo mgijimi obedabuka eNtambanana eMpangeni enqobe kwiTwo Oceans, watholwa eshonile lapho ayeqashe khona eNdwedwe, enyakatho yeTheku.
Ubengomunye wabagijimi abagqamile nabenza kahle bePhantane. Wadlula emhlabeni enqobe inqwaba yemijaho kuhlanganisa nebanga lika-10 000m kuma-ASA Senior Track & Field National Championships.
Engxoxweni uKhumalo abe nayo neSolezwe uveze ukuthi iTwo Oceans yalo nyaka ihluke kakhulu kubona. Baya kuyo bezihudula.
Uthe nakuba sekuphele izinyanga eziyisikhombisa kudlule emhlabeni uMathanga kodwa asikapholi isilonda sokudlula kwakhe.
"Inhliziyo yami ivele iqaqambe kakhulu uma ngicabanga ukuthi uMathanga ungomunye wabenze iPhantane yenza kahle kwiTwo Oceans yanyakenye.
“Namanje sisesemqondweni isithombe sakhe nozakwethu sijabulela ukwenza kahle. Nabaxhasi bebejabule ngendlela eyisimanga.
“Ngiyakhumbula ethembisa ukuthi nakulo nyaka ufisa ukwenza okufanayo. Ubengayisho into abengeke ayifeze," kubeka uKhumalo ngomoya ophansi.”
Uqhube wathi: “Kubuhlungu ukuthi kulo nyaka siya kulo mjaho engasekho emhlabeni. Lesi simo senze sangaba namalungiselelo amahle alo mjaho.
“Ufike imimoya ingakawulungeli, nakuba kunzima ngiyabathemba abagijimi abazosimela. Nakulo nyaka sizobenza baziqhenye abaxhasi bethu.”
Uveze nokuthi kulo nyaka akekho kwabesilisa ozogijima u-21km.
Uthe akukhona ukuthi akekho obekufanele ukugijima leli banga. Bakhona abafana ababili abashisayo.
Inkinga wukuthi ngesonto elizayo kumele bayogijima kuma-ASA Senior Track & Field National Championships. Ukuba uMathanga ubesekhona, ubezokwazi ukuyijigima yomibili le miqhudelwano.
UKhumalo uthe uGerda obuye abe umpetha weComrades Marathon, ushaya ibuya ukuzovikela indondo yakhe kwiTwo Oceans.
Kwabesifazane uthi uzophelezelwa wuqweqwe uFikile Mbuthuma onamava kuma-Ultra Marathon.
Kukhona noJanie GrundLing osanda kunqoba iCapital City Marathon (3:02.01). KwiComrades yango-2020 wanqoba indondo yegolide.
Kwabesifazane ku-21km, iPhantane izogadla ngoNwabisa Mjoli obemele elakuleli nyakenye kumaWorld Trial Championships, e-Australia nakuma-African Games eGhana.
Kwabesilisa, uBonginkosi Zwane noSikhumbuzo Mpanza bazogijima okokuqala ibamga lika-56km.