UMGIJIMI ofike ngamandla kwezokusubatha, u-Andile Mbatha, ujatshuliswa ukuthi uzobe eqhudelana noMbulelo "Mkhaya" Mathanga kwiPrince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Marathon, ngeSonto.
Umjaho omkhulu wosuku kuzobe kungowe-56km Ultra, ozosukela eNquthu, uphelele eDundee, ngaphansi kwaMasipala iNdumeni.
Ngalo mjaho okhula minyaka yonke, kuhloswe ukuhlonipha uMntwana waKwaPhindangene. Kuwo abasubathi bazothola nethuba lokuhlungela iComrades Marathon.
UMasipala wesiFunda uMzinyathi owenganyelwe yiMeya, uPetros Ngubane, ufake okokuqala ibanga lika-21km elizokhokha uR50 000 kwabazoshaya intambo.
IPrince Mangosuthu ngeyokuqala ukukhokha lesi samba kuleli banga. Umjaho ka-56km ukhokha uR100 000 kozonqoba. Ku-10km bazogoduka noR5 000.
Isolezwe lingakuqinisekisa ukuthi isilomo esiwuMathanga sizobe sigijima leli banga. Emasontweni edlule, siqhubekile nokuzakhela igama sinqoba i-Two Oceans Marathon kuwo u-21km.
UMdu Khumalo wePhantane AC uthe uzogadla ngaye kuphela ngeSonto.
UMbatha (26) ogijimela iBiggarsberg AC engabanye abahlela iPrince Mangosuthu, uthe uzwile ukuthi uMathanga uzobe ekhona. Uveze ukuthi ungomunye wabasubathi abukela kubo.
Ngasekuqaleni konyaka kwale kancane ukuthi uMbatha angene kwi-Top 10 kwiJoseph Shabalala Bhekizizwe 21km Marathon. Uqede kweyesi-11 ngesikhathi esiwu-1:11.34. Ulalele isibili kwiBattlefied Marathon ku-10km, enza u-33:17.
"Ngo-2020, ngike ngawugijima u-10km noMathanga kwiPrince Mangosuthu. Washaya intambo. Mina ngangena kwi-Top 10. Uwumgijimi wezinga eliphezulu. Ngizimisele ukufunda lukhulu kuye. Ngenhlanhla angilona igwala, kangisabi ukungena eqoqweni eliphambili. Enye inhloso yami ngeSonto wukwenza isikhathi esingu-1:07," kubeka lo msubathi wasesigodini saseSandlwana, eNquthu.
USiyabonga Ngobese ongusihlalo weBiggarsberg AC, uthe nakuba engenazo izibalo eziqondile kodwa uthole ukuthi imingenelo seyingaphezu kuka-3 500.
"Lokhu kudalwe yilesi samba sikaR50 000 esizonqotshwa ngabanqobe ku-21km. Kuyajabulisa ukwanda kwesibalo kwazise kuhlonishwa umuntu omkhulu.“
Lesi sikhulu sithe sethemba ukuthi kulo nyaka abagijimi beBiggarsberg AC bazokwenza kahle.
Siveze ukuthi kwelika-52km babophele u-Ayanda Buthelezi, Pat Sibisi noJoel Khumalo obuye acije uMbatha.
Mayelana nemingenelo, ku-52km kubhaliswa ngoR200 bese kuba uR150 ebengeni lika-21km. Kwelika-10km kukhokhwa uR100 bese kuba uR20 ku-5km. Imingenelo ifakwa ezitolo zakwaPick n' Pay naku-www.webticket.co.za.