KUGENQEZA phambili abajimi base-India, ngesibalo sabangenele iComrades Marathon. I-India imelwe ngabagijimi abaningi emjahweni wakulo nyaka ozoba ngoJuni 11.
Ngokwesitatimende esikhishwe ngokusemthethweni yiComrades Marathon Association (CMA), umjaho wanonyaka ungenelwe ngabagijimi abangu-2 354 abaqhamuka emazweni angu-84 omhlaba, okubalwa neNingizimu Afrika, engosokhaya bamjaho omkhulu webanga lika-89km.
Phakathi kwamazwe anabagijimi abaningi abangenele iComrades, kubalwa I-India ezomelwa ngabagijimi abangu-403, ilandelwe yiZimbabwe ngabangu-255, kube yi-United Kingdom ngabangu-224, kube yi-USA ngabangu-173, neBrazil ngabangu-142.
“Sijabule ngesibalo esikhulu sabagijimi abaqhamuka emazweni omhlaba abangenele umjaho wethu wakulo nyaka. Lokhu kuwubufakazi bokuthi lona wumjaho wezinga lamazwe omhlaba ngempela.
“Njengenjwayelo abagijimi abaliqhamukisa emazweni ehlukene omhlaba nemindeni yabo sibemukela ngezandla ezifudumele kule ndumezulu yomjaho,” kuphawula uRowyn James, oyi-Race Director yeCMA.
Kugiye abagijimi baseNingizimu Afrika kwiComrades yanyakenye, njengoba kungene phambili abayisikhombisa bokuqala.
UTete Dijana, udle umhlanganiso emjahweni wanyakenye kanti ubhekwe ngabomvu ukuthi uzokwazi yini ukusivikela isicoco sakhe emjahweni wangoJuni 11, ozosukela eMgungundlovu, uphelele eThekwini.
UDijana uza kwiComrades, ethelwe ngezibonkolo njengoba ngoMashi unqobe iNedbank Ultra Marathon yebanga lika-50km.
Ngaphandle kukaDijana, abanye abagijimi ababhekiwe kwiComrades kubalwa u-Edward Mothibi, uBongumusa Mthembu noNkosikhona Mhlakwana.
Kanti kwabesifazane kubhekwe u-Alexandra Morozova waseRussia, odle umhlanganiso emunxeni wabesifazane nyakenye. Bese kuba nguGerda Steyn, okhuza ibuya kwiComrades nonyaka, njengoba engayingenelanga nyakenye.