BAQHUBEKILE nokukhonya abagijimi bangaphandle kwiSoweto Marathon egijinywe izolo isukela eFNB Stadium, eGoli.
Lo mjaho obushaya ibuya ngemuva kokuma iminyaka emibili ngenxa yeCovid-19, kuwona kunqobe uDaba Ifa Debele wase-Ethiopia (2:18:58) kwabesilisa.
Indawo yesibili ithathwe umkhaya wakhe uGadisa Gutama (2:19:27). Eyesithathu ithathwe uTsepo Ramashamola waseLesotho (2:20:21).
Kwabesifazane, kweyokuqala kukhonye uChaltu Negashu wakhona e-Ethiopia (2:40:56).
USibongile Tshabalala ube ngowokuqala wakuleli ukufika entanjeni (2:41:58). Kweyesithathu kungene u-Amelework Bosho wakhona e-Ethiopia (2:43:14).
Igcina iSoweto Marathon, ngo-2019, kwabesilisa akekho noyedwa wakuleli awaphuma kwabahlanu abaphambili. Intambo yashaywa uDebeko Dakamo Dasa wase-Ethiopia (2:18:35). Kwabesimame, elakuleli lasindela u-Irvette Van Zyl owanqoba ngesiwu-2:34:01.
Umgijimi wakuleli wesilisa okunguyena ongene endaweni engcono ethatha eyesihlanu, uNtsindiso Mphakathi, uthe ujabule ngendawo ayitholile kwazise uwuthole unzima umzila. Abaphume endaweni yokuqala bazohlomula ngo-R250 000, endaweni yesibili u-R120 000, kweyesithathu kube u-R90 000.
UMphakathi waphuma endaweni yesishiyagalombili ugcina ukugijinywa lo mjaho ngo-2019. Kulokhu amagalelo akhe azomnikeza u-R35 000.
“Bewunzima lo mjaho kodwa ngizamile. Izinga lokugijima beliphansi kwigxenye yokuqala. Kweyesibili ngizamile ukwenyusa izinga lejubane. Sekusele amakhilomitha ambalwa umjaho uphele bese ngiqala ukuwezwa amajaqamba. Ngizamile ukuwonga amandla ngokwehlisa ijubane. Bese ngilawulwa isimo somzila. Uma kwehlela noma umzila uqondile bengizama ukwenyusa ijubane," kubeka uMphakathi ekuqaleni kwalo nyaka onqobe iPrince Mangosuthu 52km Ultra Marathon (3:00:45). Ngo-2017, kuyo iSoweto Marathon wayephume eyesithathu.
Le nsizwa yasePort St. John's, e-Eastern Cape, iveze ukuthi okwenze izinto zaba nzima kwiSoweto Marathon ukuthi ibisijwayele ukugijima kuma-Ultra.
"Ngijabule kakhulu ngalokhu kuphuma indawo yesihlanu. Kunzima ukubuyela kwi-marathon (42km) uma sewujwayele ama-ultra. Nangesikhathi ngilungiselela iSoweto Marathon ngithwale kanzima. Ngisizwe ukuthi ngiziqeqeshe nabagijimi abanejubane. Omunye wabo uDesmond Mokgobu engimhlonipha kakhulu," kusho uMphakathi.