XOLILE MPISANE
UMGIJIMI wakuleli, u-Elroy Galant, ukhale ngokushisa okunzima ngesikhathi eqeda endaweni ka-34 emjahweni ka-42km kuma-Olympics aseTokyo, asongweni ngeSonto ntambama.
Abanye abagijimi baseNingizimu Afrika abebengenele umjaho uStephen Mokoka noDesmond Mokgobu abaphelele endleleni.
Umjaho unqotshwe ngu-Eliod Kipchoge wase-Kenya, obevikela indondo yegolide ayithatha eRio ngo-2016.
Lo mjaho ubuyithuba lokugcina lokuthi abagijimi bakuleli bakwazi ukubuya nendondo kuma-Olympics kodwa kwabhimba.
Empeleni ithimba labasubathi lakuleli lishaye udaka kule midlalo njengoba kungekho neyodwa indondo eliyizuzile uma kukhulunywa nangomkhakha we-track and field.
Selilonke ithimba lakuleli liqede ama-Olympics nezindondo ezintathu vo, umbhukudi uTatjana Schoenmaker wanqoba eyegolide neyesiliva, enye yesiliva yatholwa umdlali we-surfing uBianca Buitendag.
"Bekunzima ngenxa yokushisa nokuswakama komoya. Besizimisele ukuthi sibuye nendondo. Sizamile ku-25km wkuqala, besihambisana nabebegijima phambili, kodwa emva kwangu-28 umoya ushintshile futhi," kusho uGelant.
Kungaleso sikhathi sekubhekwe ku-30km lapho kubonakale uMokoka obekade ehambisana nethimba ebeliholwa uKipchoge, esekhathala endleleni, waphuma emjahweni. UGalant yena obelokhu ezishayela ngesivinini sakhe, wagcina eqedile. UMokgobu ke ubengabonwa nje nangokhalo.
"Ngiyajabula ukuthi ngikwazile ukuwuqeda umjaho kodwa ngiphoxekile ngoba inhloso bekuwukuthola indondo," kusho uGalant.
Emjahweni wabesifazane obungoMgqibelo, kwabakuleli uGerda Steyn uqede endaweni ka-15. U-Ivertte Van Zyl akazange aqede. Kunqobe uPeres Jepchirchir waseKenya.
Iqembu lakuleli lagcina kuma-Olympic aseBeijing ngo-2008 ukuthola izindondo ezingaphansi kwezinhlanu, eRio labuya lezindondo eziyishumi.
Ngesikhathi kusongwa imidlalo, umgijimi ka-200m u-Anaso Jobodwana uqokelwe ukuphatha ifulegi lakuleli emcimbini wokuvalwa.
UJobodwana naye ushaye udaka ku-200m nabanye behluleka wukungena kowamanqamu kuleli banga.
"Kuyinto enkulu kumina ukumela iNingizimu Afrika, bengingakaze ngicabange ukuthi ngingaqokelwa ukuphatha ifulegi," kusho uJobodwana.
“Ngizizwa ngikhethekile, ikakhulukazi njengoba le midlalo yaseTokyo ike yahlehliswa ngonyaka futhi bekungabazeka ukuthi izoqhubeka yini."
I-United States of America iqede phezulu etafuleni lezindondo ngezingu-113. Kwalenda iChina ngezingu-88, iRussian Olympic Committee (71), Britain (65) nosokhaya iJapan endaweni yesihlanu ngezingu-58. Imidlalo elandelayo yama-Olympic izobanjelwa eParis eFrance ngo-2024.