IKWAZULU-Natal Athletics (KZNA) ne-Athletics South Africa (ASA) banethemba lokuthi kwiDurban International Marathon ezoba ngonyaka ozayo, abasubathi bakuleli bazokwazi ukwenza izikhathi ezizobafaka kumaWorld Athletics Championship.
Esithangamini sabezindaba ebesiyizolo kuvele ukuthi iDurban International ehlelwa iPhantane AC, izogijinywa ngoMashi 12.
Izohambisana ne-ASA Marathon Championships njengoba kwenzekile kulo nyaka. Kuzoba khona nebanga lika-10km.
Okugqamile emjahweni wangonyaka ozayo wukuthi abasubathi bakwazi ukwenza izikhathi kwi-marathon ezizobabekela indawo kumaWorld Athletics Championships, azoqala ngo-Agasti 19 ngonyaka ozayo, eBudapest eHungary.
Abasubathi besilisa abazimisele ngokuya emqhudelwaneni kumele kushaye uMashi 13 sebekwazile ukushaya isikhathi esiwu-2:09.40 noma esingaphansi. Abesimame bamelwe wukugijima esiwu-2:28.
U-Enoch Skosana we-ASA noSteve Mkasi ongumengameli weKZNA, basho ngazwi linye ukuthi maningi amathuba okwenza izikhathi ezibekiwe, uma kuzobhekwa ezigijinywe ekuqaleni kwalo nyaka kuyo iDurban International.
Kwabesilisa u-Isaac Mpofu waseZimbabwe ushaye intambo ngo-02:10.24. Kwabesibhuda kwaba wuShelmith Nyawira waseKenya, ogijime esiwu-02:37.54.
Kunconywe iDurban International Marathon ngokuba nomzila osheshayo, okuyikhona okubanikeza ithemba lokuthi abagijimi bangazishaya izikhathi ezidingekayo.
Ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi abasubathi bakuleli benza izikhathi ezinhle, uMkasi uthe bamatasa nohlu lwabagijimi abanejubane, abazofaka umdlandla kwabanye.
"Laba bagijimi bazophuma ku-25 km bese kuba wuqhude manikiniki kwabazosala. Okunye esizokwenza wukumema abasubathi balapha e-Afrika abanezikhathi ezinhle, ezingo-2:04 no-2:05. Kungokunye lokhu okuzokwenza lo mjaho usheshe ngendlela eyisimanga. Lapha KwaZulu-Natal sinabo abagijimi abangazenza lezi zikhathi. Ngikhuluma ngabanjengoNkosikhona Mhlakwana, Bonginkosi Zwane, Mbuleli Mathanga, Sibusiso Kubheka, Ndumiso Sokhela nabanye. Into okumele bafundiswe yona wukukhetha imijaho.
“Ungamangala uma ungezwa ukuthi u-Eliud Kipchoge waseKenya unqobe iBerlin Marathon, esehlale isikhathi eside kangakanani engagijimi. Yingakho ehlale enza izikhathi ezinhle," kubeka uMkasi oveze ukuthi ngonyaka ozayo balindele abasubathi abawu-15 000.
Ngenhloso yokuqala uhambo lokubeka iDurban Internation ebalazweni lomhlaba, uMkasi uveze ukuthi bafake isicelo enhlanganweni ephethe ezokusubatha emhlabeni (iWorld Athletics) sokuthi lo mjaho ufakwe ngaphansi kwesigaba seWorld Athletics Label Event.
"Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ezizayo silindele ukuthola ukuthi siyaphumelela yini isicelo sethu. Uma siphumelele, iDurban International izoba nophawu lweWorld Athletics. Izoboniswa amazweni amakhulu emhlabeni. Kuzoba lula nokuthola abaxhasi,“ kusho Mkasi.
USanele Mbambo wePhantane AC uthe basahlela ukuthi abazonqoba bazoklonyeliswa kanjani.
USkosana uthe kuzomele kunxenxwe izifundazwe ukuthi zandise isibalo sabagijimi abazoba yingxenye yeDurban International. Uthe lokhu kuzokwandisa isibalo sabazokwazi ukuya eHungary. Abaxhasi beDurban International wuMnyango wezeMidlalo KwaZulu-Natal, uMasipala weTheku, Spar neCoca Cola.