KUNINGI okuhle okusazokwenziwa ngumbhukudi uMelokuhle Dube, obuye nendondo yegolide kuma-Special Olympics asanda kusongwa eGermany, ngokusho komqeqeshi wakhe, uGail Bohler.
UBohler useneminyaka esondela kwemihlanu ecija uDube, kwiFish Eagle Swimming Club ezinze, eRichards Bay. Ubehola ithimba lakuleli lababhukudi kuma-Special Olympics, abengoJuni17- ku-25, eBerlin.
UDube (16) uhlomule indondo yegolide emjahweni we-100m breaststroke wabesilisa obekungenye yezindondo ezingu-49, eziqoqwe yiqembu lakuleli emidlalweni yabaphila nokukhubazeka ngokomqondo eyasungulwa ngo-1968 eChicago, e-United States of America.
“UMelo sengimazi cishe iminyaka emihlanu. Waqala ukubhukuda ohlelweni i-Learn To Swim esikoleni wabe esejoyina ikilabhu yethu. Ngiyaziqhenya ngokumbona ewina igolide kuma-Olympics, kuyimpumelelo emangalisayo,” kusho uBohler.
“Usemncane, ngakho ukunqoba kwakhe emqhudelwaneni omkhulu kangaka kusho ukuthi kuningi angakuzuza uma eqhubeka nokuzimisela. Ungenele nomjaho we-freestyle waphuma endaweni yesihlanu, balala isithupha kwi-relay.
“Lokho kukhombisa ukuthi usengakwazi ukuthuthuka enze okungcono kakhulu kodwa siyaziqhenya ngalokhu akwenzile. Ngiyethemba ukuthi kuzoshintsha impilo yakhe futhi kugqugquzele nabanye ontanga bakhe.”
UDube ohlala eNgwelezane, ufunda eThuthukani School, eMpangeni. Unina uPhindile Xulu, uthe umndeni wonke uhlabeke umxhwele ngempumelelo yakhe futhi banethemba lokuthi uzoqhubeka nokuba yisibonelo esihle emndenini nasendaweni yangakubo.
“Sijabule kakhulu. Simamukele ngenhlokomo ekhaya ngoLwesibili, saze sosa nenyama. Besimkhumbula kakhulu ngoba kusheshe kucace uma ekhona noma engekho,” kusho uXulu.
“Waqala ukubhukuda esikoleni wabe esejoyina ikilabhu lapho bebhukuda khona ngezimpelasonto. Kwesinye isikhathi ngangimvimba uma ngibona isimo sezulu singekho sihle kodwa umqeqeshi wakhe uGail wangichazela ukuthi benze njani uma bebhukuda. Ngagcina sengizibonele ukuthi uwuthanda ngempela lo mdlalo.
“Ngiyethemba ukuthi le mpumelelo izomvulela eminye iminyango futhi aqhubeke nokubhukuda. Ngingathanda ukuthi abe yi-lifeguard, ahlenge abantu emabhishi ngoba uyakuthanda ukuba seduze kwamanzi futhi unekhono lokubhukuda.
“Ngaphandle kwalokho ungumuntu othanda ukusebenzisa izandla njengokuthunga izingubo futhi uyakuthanda nokucula.”
Iqembu laseNingizimu Afrika libuye nezindondo zegolide ezingu-22, ezesiliva ezingu-20, nezethusi eziyisikhombisa eziqhamuke emidlalweni eyahlukene njenge-swimming, athletics, boccie, igalofu, i-table tennis, ibhola likanobhutshuzwayo, i-basketball, i-ten-pin bowling, ne-equestrian.
Emidlalweni ka-2019 eyayise-United Arab Emirates, elakuleli labuya nezindondo zegolide ezingu-35, ezesiliva ezingu-15 nezethusi ezingu-12.