AKASAKUBONI okungamvimba ukuthi aye kumaWorld Athletics Championships nakumaCommonwealth Games, uSiboniso Sikhakhane (31), omangaze iningi ephuma isithathu kwiTotalsports Two Oceans 56km Marathon, ekubeni ubeqala ukugijima kuyo.
Le nsizwa yaseMadadeni, eNewcastle, ilale isithathu ngesikhathi esingu-3:11.31. Ibilandela uNkosikhona Mhlakwana naye waKwaZulu-Natal, eHowick, ophume isibili (3:09:08).
Indawo yokuqala ithathwe ngu-Edndale Belachew wase-Ethiopia, (3:09.05).
Lo msubathi utshele iphephandaba ukuthi ngabe kukhulunywa olunye udaba ukube ubewazi umzila weTwo Oceans Marathon, egijinyelwa eCape Town.
"Angiqale ngokuveza lokhu, ngoDisemba ngibe nokulimala okuthathe isikhathi eside. Ungamangala uma ngikutshela ukuthi iTwo Oceans Marathon ngiyilungiselele amasonto amabili kuphela.
“Nakuba kunjalo bengiwumqemane. KwiTwo Oceans bengingomunye wabebesemaqoqweni aphambili. Okungiphazamisile ummango obuyophumela ku-50km. Nokho ngizamile ukubuya ngagcina sengilala isithathu. Ngishaywe ukungawazi umzila," kuchaza uSikhakhane.
Ngasekupheleni konyaka odlule i-Athletics South Africa (ASA) eholwa nguJames Moloi, ikhiphe isikwati sesikhashana sabasubathi abalungiselelwa ukuya kumaWorld Athletics Championships namaCommonwealth Games.
AmaWorld Championships angoJune 15-24, e-Oregon, e-United States of America (USA).
AmaCommonwealth aqala ngoJulayi 28, asongwe ngo-Agasti 8, eBirmingham, e-England.
Kulesi sikwati se-ASA, babili kuphela abasubathi baKwaZulu-Natal. NguSikhakhane kwimarathon, noZakithi Nene waseMnambithi oyibamba kwi-400m.
Kulesi sikwati, uSikhakhane ogijimela iPhantane AC, ungene ngenxa yokulala indawo yesishiyagalombili kwiCape Town Marathon (2:11.49) nyakenye. Uma kukhishwa abasubathi bangaphandle ulale isithathu.
"Ngizozikhandla kakhulu kunakuqala, isifiso sami ukuya kowodwa umqhudelwano phakathi kwamaWorld Champs noma kumaCommonwealth. Kuhlale kuyisifiso sami ukumela isifundazwe nezwe lami," kuqhuba uSikhakhane.
“Ngiyathembisa ngeke ngisaphuma kulesi sikwati se-ASA. Ngibonga kakhulu kumqeqeshi wami (uMdu Khumalo) ngokuhlale engiseka.“
USikhakhane uthe okulandelayo ezinhlelweni zakhe wukugijima kwiHarry Gwala Marathon, nakwiPrince Mangosuthu Marathon, kanti nyakenye ulale endaweni yesithathu kuyo (3:00).