UMGIJIMI okhombisa ukudlondlobala, uNkululeko Mgubhela, usha amashushu ngokuyogijima okokuqala kwiTotalsports Two Oceans Marathon yebanga lika-56km ezogijinyelwa eKapa, ngo-Ephreli 6.
Nokho uMgubhela (27) ngaphambi kokuba abhekise amabombo kwiTwo Oceans, uzimisele ngokuvikela isicoco sakhe kwiBest of the Best Marathon yebanga lika-42km, ezogijinywa ngoMashi 2, isuka eKings Park Athletics Stadium, eThekwini, iphelele khona kule nkundla.
IBest of the Best ehlanganisa ibanga lika-42km, elika-21km, 10km no-5km, ingomunye wemijaho yokwenza izikhathi zokubekisa indawo kwiTwo Oceans nakwiComrades Marathon.
UMgubhela wadla umhlanganiso kwiBest of the Best nyakenye ngesikhathi esingu-02:22:02, eshiya uMholi Jali owalala isibili ngo-02:25:21, isithathu kwaba nguLithokoa Khoete ngesikhathi esingu-02:26:42.
“Ngithathe isinqumo sokungayigijimi iMfundo Arnold Lushaba Half Marathon (eMzumbe) engayiwina ngonyaka odlule, njengoba ngimatasa ngamalungiselelo eBest of the Best engizimisele kakhulu ngokuyoyivikela.
Ngikholwa wukuthi iBest of the Best izongisiza kakhulu emalungiselelweni ami okuyogijima iTwo Oceans, engizobe ngiyigijima okokuqala ngqa.
Phambilini bengigxile kakhulu ku-track and field emabangeni ka-800 metres no-1500 metres. Kodwa ngemuva kokulimala kwami engozini yemoto ngo-2015, ngabe sengiyeka ukugijima i-track and field, ngaqala ngazilolongela ukugijima i-marathon, njengoba ngiqale eminyakeni emithathu edlule.
Ngisagijime iHarry Gwala Marathon, iBest of the Best, iDurban International Marathon neSoweto Marathon,” kusho uMgubhela, odabuka eBhizana, e-Eastern Cape, kodwa osezinze eGoli.
UMgubhela osecijwa yinkakha, uHendrick Ramaala, ngaphansi kwe-Entsika Athletics Club, eGoli, ujoyine le kilabhu ngoJulayi nyakenye esuka kwiZakhele Athletics Club yaseThekwini.
Lo mgijimi owalala isihlanu kwiHarry Gwala Marathon yebanga lika-42km nyakenye, eMzimkhulu, uthei ekubuyeni kwakhe kwiTwo Oceans uzobe esevivela iPrince Mangosuthu Ultra Marathon yebanga lika-52km, ezogijinywa ngo-Ephreli 27 isuka eNquthu iphelele eDundee.
“Uma ngibuya kwiTwo Oceans ngiyobe sengilungiselela ukuyogijima iPrince Mangosuthu uma umzimba usavuma, nengikholwa wukuthi ngizoba nesikhathi esanele sokuyilungiselela njengoba isekupheleni kuka-Ephreli.”