SITHEMBISO MKHIZE
UMGIJIMI wakuleli, u-Akani Simbine, ubuyise ithemba kumengameli we-Athletic South Africa (ASA) ngesibalo sezindondo esingase sitholwe ngabasubathi kuma-Olympics ngesikhathi egila izimanga kwiGyulai Istvan Memorial, eSzekesfehervar, Hungary, ngoLwesibili ebusuku.
Ama-Olympics azobanjelwa eTokyo, eJapan, kusukela ngoJulayi 23.
USimbine owalala isihlanu kuma-Olympics ngo-2016, unqobe ibanga lika-100m ngesikhathi esiwu-9.84, eshiya uMichael Rodgers wase-United States of America (USA) ogcine enze esiwu-10.10.
Ngokushaya lesi sikhathi, uSimbine uphule irekhodi lakhe lakuleli lika-9.89 nelase-Afrika lika-9.85 elaqoshwa u-Olusoji Fasuba waseNigeria ngoMeyi 2006.
KwiDiamond League ebeyandulela umjaho wangoLwesibili, nakhona uSimbine wakhonya, eshaya intambo ngo-10.08.
Phambilini, wahola iqembu lakuleli le-relay lika-4x100m ngesikhathi linqoba indondo yegoli kumaWorld Relay Championships, ePoland.
"Lokhu kunqoba kunginike okukhulu ukuzethemba. Nokuphula irekhodi lase-Afrika kusho lukhulu. Sizuze into osekuphele iminyaka siyisebenzela kanzima," esitatimendeni se-ASA.
UJames Moloi owengamele i-ASA, utshele Isolezwe ukuthi imsize kakhulu uSimbine imiqhudelwano ebihlelwa inhlangano yakhe.
Kumabanga amafishane uveze ukuthi izindondo uzibheke ngabomvu kulo msubathi, uShaun Maswanganyi ku-100m naku-200m, Wayde van Niekerk ku-400m neyeqembu le-relay ku-100m naku-400m. Uthe okumnika ithemba ngeqembu lika-400m ukuthi kuzobe sekukhona neWayde.
KwiMarathon uthe ubheke indondo kaStephen Mokoka neyezintokazi uGerda Steyn neka-Irvett van Zyl.
"Kwezokusubatha, ngilindele ukuthi sithole izindondo ezintathu kuya phezulu. Nakuba singabanga nawo amalungiselelo amahle kodwa abantu abangathuki, kukhona esizobuya nakho. Libuya ngamandla ithemba uma abagijimi abanjengoSimbine benza nje. NoMokoka kwiMarathon nakuma-Olympics usenesipiliyoni esenele, siyibhekile indondo yakhe. Kwenzeka noma yini emdlalweni wokugijima. Kuma-Olympic ka-1996, e-Athlanta, akekho owayezitshela ukuthi uJosia Thungwane wayenganqoba igolide emjwahweni.
"Okunye okungithokozisayo ukuthi iningi labasubathi bethu, ikakhulukazi abe-track & field, livele lise-Europe. Abanye bazohamba ngoJulayi 20. Bazoba neshumi lezinsuku lokuzijwayeza nesimo sezulu saseTokyo, ezokugijima ziqala uJulayi 30.“
UMoloi akayishiyanga ngaphandle eyesibalo sabasubathi besifazane abahlanu kuphela abazomela elakuleli eJapan.
"Siyavuma kukhona okumele kwenziwe ngokushesha ukuthuthukisa abasubathi besifazane. Uma kubuywa eTokyo, kuzomele sihambele izifundazwe zonke, sizame ukuvundulula siphinde sithuthukise amakhono abasubathi besifazane nasezindaweni zasemakhaya,“ kusho uMoloi.