KAYILOKHU ingena ezintangeni iPhantane AC, ibona intokazi, uGerda Steyn, inalo ithuba lokuqopha umlando ngokuba umgijimi wayo wokuqala ukushaya intambo kwiComrades Marathon, ezosuka eCity Hall, eMgungundlovu, iphelele eKingsmead Cricket Stadium, eThekwini.
Komunye, la mazwi abePhantane angazwakala njengokugqugquzela lo mgijimi nje kuphela.
Nokho iqiniso ukuthi iningi labalandeli bezokugijima kalilindele nje kuphela ukuthi ashaye intambo kodwa libheke nokuthi aphule nerekhodi likaFrith Van der Merwe aliqopha ngo-1989 kuphunywa eMgungundlovu eshaya intambo ngo-5:54.43.
UGerda, ojoyine iPhantane ekuqaleni konyaka, useke wayinqoba iComrades ngo-2018 kunyukwa ngo-5.58.53.
Kwabesilisa kuliwa nelikaDavid Gatebe lesikhathi esiwu-5:18.19, alenza ngo-2016.
UGerda uya kwiComrades ehambela phezulu njengoba ekuqaleni konyaka eqophe umlando enqoba iTotalsport Two Oceans 56km Ultra Marathon okwesine kulandelana. Ushaye intambo ngesikhathi esiwu-3:29.06.
UMdu Khumalo, ongumqeqeshi nomnikazi wePhantane, uthe mhlawumbe komunye kungazwakala njengobuqhwaga kodwa amalungiselelo amahle kaGerda yiwo enza bambone eyinqoba iComrades.
"Ngeke ngilokhu ngigudla iguma, simbona uGerda enalo ithuba lokuyinqoba. Umzimba nengqondo yakhe kusesimeni esihle ngendlela exakile. Amalungiselelo amaningi uwenzele phesheya kwezilwandle. Nangesikhathi eya kwiTwo Oceans ngasho ukuthi uzoyivikela, ngempela kwabanjalo," kubeka uKhumalo obezwakala ezithemba.
Mayelana nerekhodi, uthe: "Njengoba sengishilo uwumshini uGerda kulo nyaka. Noma kwakunyukwa ngo-2018 kodwa isikhathi anqoba ngaso sasisondele kakhulu kwesikaVan der Merwe. Okunye ukuthi njengoba kubhekwe eKingsmead Cricket Stadium amakhilomitha ehlile. Azoba u-87.7 km. Angifuni ukwanda kakhulu, izinto zizozicacela. Sengithandazela ukuthi kungaqhamuki izinto ezizophazamisa.“
Ngaphandle kukaGerda, uKhumalo uveze ukuthi uzogadla ngezinye izintokazi ezintathu, okungoCarla Natalia Molinaro wase-England, Sika Henry waseMelika noNoora Honkala waseFinland.
Uthe uMolinaro umbhekwe kwabahlanu abazophuma phambili. Le ntokazi ingene endaweni yesihlanu kwiTwo Oceans.
"Phambilini iPhantane beyaziwa njengeyabantu besilisa neyabamnyama kuphela. Sikushintsha konke lokho. Silwa nokuthi kuvelele bonke ubulili nezinhlanga ezahlukene. Sonke singabandawonye," kuqhuba uKhumalo oveze ukuthi uyaxhuga kubagijimi besilisa abaya kwiComrades.
"Ngikhuluma nje uNkhabutlane Motlokoa noMohau Masoenyane ngeke besagijima ngenxa yokulimala. Ngizogadla kuphela ngoBonginkosi Zwane, Robert Simpson noNkululeko Ngubane.“