Thathe Msimango
ABAGIJIMI bazwakalise ukuphoxeka ngesinqumo senhlangano eyengamele ezokugijima eNingizimu Afrika, i-Athletics South Africa ( ASA) ememezele ngesonto eledlule ukuthi ngeke isalihambisa iqembu elizomela izwe kumaWorld Athletics Half Marathon Championship azoba seGdynia ePoland ngenyanga ezayo.
Ngokwesitatimende esikhishwe i-ASA kubalulwe izibalo eziphezulu zeCovid 19 kuleli nelasePoland njengesizathu esenze banquma kungcono ukuba bangafaki engcupheni impilo yabagijimi.
Umjaho kwakumele ube ngoMashi 29 kodwa wagcina uhlehlile. Uhlehliselwe u-Okthoba 17.
UGlenrose Xaba ongomunye wabagijimi abayishumi abebeqokiwe uthe zimshiye edangele izindaba zokuthi abasalubhadi ePoland. Ubenethemba lokuphula isikhathi sika-1:09:30 kwi-21km asibeka kwiNapoli City Half Marathon kulo nyaka.
“Azehlanga kahle izindaba zokuthi ngeke sisaba ingxenye yalo mqhudelwano.” kuphawula uXaba.
“Bekuzoba kungokokuqala ukuthi ngibe ingxenye yeqembu le-Half Marathon kodwa isinqumo seziphathimanda sesishiye isilonda kimina. Kwesinye isikhathi uze uzibuze ukuthi inhlangano iyikhathalele yini imijaho yasemgaqweni,” kusho uXaba.
UPrecious Mashele obeseqenjini labesilisa naye uthe akaneme ngalezi zindaba kwazise bese siside isikhathi beziqeqeshela umjaho.
“Kunzima ukuziqeqesha kanzima bese uzwa izindaba zokuthi ngeke usaba ingxenye yomqhudelwano. Siziphilisa ngokugijima kumele inhlangano esiphethe ize nesu lokuthi imijaho ingabuya kanjani, ikati selilele eziko. Ngizwelana nabanezinkontileka ngoba abaxhasi akubi lula ukuzivuselela uma umuntu ekade engasebenzi,” kusho uMashele.
Ethintwa umengameli we-ASA u-Aleck Skhosana uthe isinqumo basithathe ngenxa yokulandela imigomo kahulumeni futhi bavikela impilo yabagijimi kwazise izibalo zeCovid-19 zisephezulu.
“Njengoba sakhetha ukuba imijaho ingabi bikho kuleli yingenxa yokuthi sibeka impilo yabagijimi phambili. Ngeke nangelilodwa ilanga sajaha ukukhipha iqembu ekubeni lolu bhubhane lusekhona umhlaba wonke kanje,” kusho uSkhosana.
Ephawula ngabagijimi bamabanga amafushane abayibambe emijahweni ehlukene ne-Europe uthe kade balifulathela elakuleli bayozivalela ekhempini e-Italy.
U-Akani Simbine uwine umjaho ka-100m ngesonto eledlule kwi-European Continental Tour eFrance kanti nomgijimi ka-110m u-Antonio Alkana useyibambe emijahweni ehlukene phesheya kanjalo nomdlali we-long jump uRuswahl Samaai.
USkhosana ugcizelele elokuthi lapha eNingizimu Afrika imiqhudelwano izobuya uma uhulumeni eselivule ngokuphelele izwe.