ONGUMPETHA we-African Bank Soweto Marathon, uNtsindiso “Tata” Mphakathi, uthi yize engalibonanga elidlalayo kwiComrades Marathon yakulo nyaka kodwa kuthe gidi kwabuya ithemba engena kubagijimi abangu-20 bokuqala kulo mjaho abesewugijima okwesibili ngeSonto eledlule.
UMphakathi (34) we-Entsika Athletic Club, uqede ngesikhathi esingu-05:46:01 kulo mjaho webanga elingu-85.9km obusuka eThekwini kwenyukwa kubhekwe eMgungundlovu, onqotshwe wuPiet Wiersma waseNertherlands kwabesilisa.
Nyakenye eyigijima okokuqala waqeda endaweni ka-70 enza isikhathi esingu-06:03:09.
“Ngikholwa wukuthi iComrades Marathon sengiyiqonda kangcono kakhulu manje kunangesikhathi ngiqala ukuyigijima ngonyaka odlule. Kungikhuthaze kakhulu ukungena endaweni ka-20 emjahweni wakulo nyaka kwenyukwa, ekubeni ngonyaka odlule ngangingene le emuva endaweni ka-70 kwehliwa.
Nyakenye ngagijima iComrades ngingenalo ulwazi olukahle ngayo. Ngenza iphutha lokungaziniki isikhathi esanele sokuphumula ngenxa yokuthi ngagijima iPrince Mangosuthu Marathon yebanga lika-52km ngo-Ephreli sekusele inyanga eyodwa ngiyogijima iComrades ngoJuni (nyakenye) okwangikhinyabeza kakhulu,” kusho uMphakathi, oyivumayo iComrades ukuthi ayiwona umdlalo.
“Ngeke ngiqambe amanga, iComrades ayisonsangu (esho ehleka) yingakho umgijimi oyinqobile kufanele simthulele isigqoko.
Nokho sengifunde lukhulu manje ngalo mjaho njengoba ngiqale ngawugijima kwehlikwa ngaphinda ngawugijima kwenyukwa.
Ngizizwa nginokuzethemba manje kunasekuqaleni, okuyingakho nango-2025 ngizimisele ngokubuya ngizozama futhi. Nginethemba lokuthi ngelinye ilanga kuyogcina kulungile. Umlando uveza ukuthi abanye abagijimi asebeke banqoba iComrades base bezame amahlandla amaningana, kwagcina kubalungele. Nami-ke ngisanethemba.”
Lo mgijimi okhombisa ukudlondlobala emijahweni yamabanga amade, nosenqobe iPrince Mangosuthu Ultra Marathon iminyaka emibili ilandelana ngo-2022 nango-2023, uthi usazoke athi ukuhlaba ikhefu kancane aphumuze umzimba, bese eqala amalungiselelo okuyovikela isicoco sakhe se-African Bank Soweto Marathon ezoba ngoNovemba.
UMphakathi owayesezame amahlandla amaningi kwiSoweto Marathon yebanga lika-42km, wagcina ewunqobile lo mjaho eqeda ishobolo leminyaka lokwehluleka kwabagijimi baseMzansi njengoba kwakugcine ukwenzeka ngoMichael Mazibuko ngo-2011.