OMPETHA beDurban International Marathon, u-Elroy Gelant noCain Oldknow, basemathubeni okubuyela emakubo begcwele imali emakhukhwini uma benze kahle emjahweni wangonyaka ozayo.
NgoLwesine, eThekwini, bekunesithamgami sabezindaba obekwethulwa kuso izinhlelo zomjaho wangonyaka ozayo. Kuvele ukuthi uzoba ngoMeyi 4, kanti sewungaphansi kweNewlands AC. Phambilini bebewuhlela ngokuhlanganyela nePhantane AC.
Kuthiwe nangonyaka ozayo, iDurban International engaphansi kwe-Abbott World Marathon Majors, izosingatha umjaho wamaConfederation of Africa Athletics Region 5 Championships.
Lesi sithangami besihanjelwe uMphathiswa waKwaZulu-Natal woMnyango wezeMidlalo, uMntomuhle Khawula, iMeya yaseThekwini uCyril Xaba, Aleck Skhosana ongusihlalo weConfederation of African Athletics (CAA) kwiSADC noSteve Mkasi ongumengameli weKwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA).
Ekuqaleni konyaka, kwabesilisa uGelant waqopha irekhodi elisha ngesikhathi esiwu-2:09.32. UCain waphula elabesifazane ngesiwu-2:29.46.
UMkasi utshele abezindaba ukuthi ngonyaka ozayo balindele ukuthi kwabesilisa kwenziwe isikhathi esiwu-2:06.30 bese kwabesimame kugijinywe esiwu-2:23.30.
Uveze nokuthi lo mjaho uzoba ngowokugcina emhlabeni ukwenza izikhathi zamaWorld Athletics Championships azoba ngoJulayi, eTokyo, eJapan.
Lesi sikhulu sithe bazoklomelisa labo mpetha ngo-R100 000 uma bekwazile ukwenza izikhathi zamaWorld Champs kwiDurban International. Bazophinde baklonyeliswe ngo-R20 000 uma beqede ku-Top 5. Uthe bazophinde bagixabezwe ngo-R15 000 uma bekwazile kunoma imuphi umjaho ukwenza izikhathi zamaWorld Champs.
"Maduze sizophinde simemezele isigaxa semali ezitholwa ngabazophula amarekhodi akuleli e-marathon kwiDurban International. Le mali ino-zero abangaphezu kwabahlanu. Inhloso ngalokhu ukugququgquzela abasubathi ukwenza lezi zikhathi esizifunayo," kubeka uMkasi.
USkhosana uthe bazoletha abasubathi abaphuma emazweni eSADC awu-14.
"Siphinde safaka amaConfederation of Africa Athletics Region 5 Championships ngaphansi kweDurban International ngenxa yezinga layo emhlabeni. Sizoletha abagijimi abazophoqa ukuthi zenziwe lezi zikhathi. Okuhle ukuthi muhle umzila weDurban International. Ngibatshelile nabahleli bayo ukuthi banciphise imigwaqo okuzogijinywa kuyo enamakhona. Ayinkinga ngoba umgijimi uphoqeleka ukwehlisa ijubane uma efika kuwo. Lokho kwenza kube nzima ukwenza izikhathi ezifana no-2:06 no-2:23," kuchaza uSkhosana.
UXaba noKhawula bathe okuhle ngeDurban International ifukula ezokuvakasha nomnotho waseThekwini naKwaZulu-Natal jikelele.