UKHALE ngobunzima uJobo Khatoane enqoba iDrakensberg Marathon ebingenelwe inqwaba yabagijimi bezinga eliphezulu ngempelasonto.
Le nsizwa yaseLesotho egijimela iMaxed Elite, ishaye intambo ngesikhathi esiwu-2.23.02. Nyakenye, yaphuma isibili ku-21 km.
Kwabesifazane, uNtokozo Mkhize weBlack Diamnond AC uvikele indondo yakhe yegolide ngesiwu-2:53.44. Nyakenye, wayengene entanjeni ngo-2:50.
Empeleni bobabili laba bagijimi bakhale esifanayo ngokuba nzima komzila walo mjaho ka-42km.
Nokho balincome kakhulu izinga lokuhleleka kwawo. Basho ngazwi linye ukuthi eminyakeni embalwa ezayo uzobalwa nemikhulu kuleli nase-Afrika jikelele.
UKhatoane ocijwa uMartin Ngwenya, utshele Isolezwe ukuthi kube wumusa kaNkulunkulu ukuze akwazi ukunqoba.
Ngaphandle kokuthwaliswa kanzima wumzila, uveze nokugqilazwa uSinethemba Tshangase weNedbank Running Club ogcine elale isibili (2:23.16).
"Angazi ngingawuchaza ngithini ngegama elilodwa umjaho walo nyaka. Bewunzima kodwa umnandi. Bekuphume zonke izinyamazane zezinga eliphezulu. Ngimethulela isigqoko uTshangase, uyindoda emadodeni! Kuhlale kuqondana, kuba ongaphansi ongaphezulu uma ngiqondene naye.
“Emjahweni walo nyaka ungithwalise kanzima sekusele u-36km sifike entanjeni. Kuke kwaba nzima, ngixebuke kanzima kuye. Ngaphandle kwakhe, umzila ebesigijima kuwo unzima, udinga umuntu ojime ngampela. Ngiwufanisa noweSoweto Marathon. Unzima unjalo kodwa umnandi ngendlela eyisimanga," kubeka uKhatoane.
BenoNtokozo baklonyeliswe ngoR20 000 umuntu ngamunye.
Lo mgijimi uthe ngaphambi kokuthi agoduke uzoqala ngokugijima iMandela Day Marathon ebuya ngebanga lika-21km ngoDisemba 9, phakathi koMgungundlovu neHowick. Kuzokhumbuleka ukuthi igcina ukugijinywa yayinqotshwe nguye uKhatoane kulo ibanga lika-21km.
Le nsizwa ichaze lo nyaka njengoyiphathe kahle kakhulu.
Ekuqaleni kwawo iphume indawo yesithathu kwiBhekizizwe Joseph Shabalala Marathon (2:20), indawo efanayo kwiTwo Oceans Marathon ku-21km (1:04) yase inqoba iPrince Mangosuthu Marathon kuwo u-21km (1:04).
Ibe seyiphula irekhodi kwiHarry Gwala Marathon ku-42km ngesikhathi esiwu-2:17. Iphinde yenza kahle nakwiSoweto Marathon ebangeni elifanayo ilala indawo yesihlanu (2:20). UKhatoane uthe iningi le mali ayitholile kulo nyaka uyilondolozele ukuvula uhlobo oluthile lwabhizinisi ngakubo eLesotho.
Ayinqobe kwiDrankensberg Marathon uthe uzoyidla nonkosikazi nabafana bakhe ababili ngoKhisimusi.
Kwamanye amabanga, ku-21km, kwabesilisa kunqobe uSibusiso Kubheka (1:07.20) noJenet Mbhele (1:19.01) kwabesifazane.
Ku10km, kukhonye uSiyabonga Ndlovu wama-Ravens (30.08) noMalineo Mahloko obegijima ngaphandle kwekilabhu (37.42).
USipho Ndaba ongumhleli weDrankensberg Extravaganza and Heritage Experience eyengamele lo mjaho, ubonge kakhulu kubagijimi ngokuqinisekisa ukuthi iDrakensberg Marathon iqhubeka nokuba ngeyezinga eliphezulu.
"Sihlale senza isiqiniseko sokuthi minyaka yonke izinga seyalenyusa. Inhloso yethu ukubona lo mjaho ubalwa nemikhulu emhlabeni eminyakeni ezayo. Ngiyaphinda ngiyazicelela kusomabhizinisi ukuthi bafake isandla. Leli phupho ngeke lifezeke ngaphandle kwabo. Ezindaweni zasemakhaya liningi ikhono, inkinga lishaywa indiva," kubeka uNdaba.