SITHEMBISO MKHIZE
INGQWELE entsha yeNedbank Runifield 50km, uStephen Mokoka, income isitolo sakwaBoxer ngesandla esintofontofo kubasubathi baso, simklomelisa ngo-R50 000 ngenxa yokuphula irekhodi lomhlaba kulo mjaho emasontweni edlule, eGqeberha.
Izolo kume ukusebenza emahhovisi alesi sitolo, aseWestville, eThekwini, abasebenzi baphume ngobuningi babo bezobongela le nyamazane ephule irekhodi lomhlaba ku-50km ngesikhathi esiwu-2:40:13.
Iphule elikaKetema Negasa wase-Ethiopia (2:42:07), alenze nyakenye.
Kulo mcimbi uMokoka osekuneminyaka egijimela iBoxer Athletics Club, ubephelezelwa imenenja yekilabhu uRhyn Swanepoel.
"Kuyintokozo eyisimanga kimi ukugcina ngihlanganile nomndeni wami wakwaBoxer. Bengingakulindele lokhu abangenzela kona namuhla. Ngizizwa ngithobekile ngokuba nomndeni ohlale ubeka phambili abagajimi bawo. Kayizange isilaxaze iBoxer ngesikhathi sobunzima beCovid-19. Ibhizinisi belingahambi kahle kodwa ayizange isilahle. Sengathi ingaqhubeka nokuba usizo empilweni yabagijimi. Nathi bagijimi kumele sibabonge abakwaBoxer ngokuthi senze kahle umsebenzi wethu.
"Ngiwumuntu ohlale egqugquzela ukuzivocavoca. Imali ekhokhwa kuma-medical aid inyukile. Indlela engabizi yokugwema nokwelapha izifo ukugijima. Ngingajabula uma nabasebenzi baseBoxer kuzo zonke izitolo bengangijoyina emgwaqweni," kubeka uMokoka.
UNtombi Dludla oyiBoxer Group Executive Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainability, uthe kusho lukhulu kubo ukumataniswa kwegama labo nompetha womhlaba.
"Ngenxa kaMokoka inkampani yakwaBoxer seyaziwa umhlaba wonke. Asisaziwa nje kuphela njengesitolo kodwa sesizakhele igama njengenkampani exhasa nezinye izinhlelo zomphakathi. Ezinyangeni ezedlule silinyazwe kakhulu iCovid-19 nokutatshwa kwempahla ezitolo zethu. UMokoka uphule leli rekhodi ngesikhathi esifanele, kusithobe izinhliziyo ukunqoba kwakhe. Okunye okusijabulisayo ukuthi selilungisiwe iningi lezitolo ebelicekelwe phansi. Kusele ezintathu kuphela. KwaZulu-Natal sinezitolo eziwu-76, balinganiselwa ku-23 000 abasebenzi abaqashwe iBoxer kulona lonke elakuleli. Ngaphandle kokuxhasa ezemidlalo, inkampani yethu iphinde ilime indima enkulu ekwakheni amathuba omsebenzii," kubeka uDludla.
UMokoka uqhube wathi kuyamjabulisa ukubona izinga lomjaho lithuthuka kuleli.
"Eminyakeni emihlanu eyedlule bebengekho abagijimi bakuleli emiqhudelwaneni efana neWorld Athletics Championship nakuma-Olympic Games. Izinto zibukeka zishintsha, siyanda isibalo sabakwaziyo ukuhlungela ukungena kule miqhudelwano. Lokhu kusho ukukhula," kusho uMokoka.
Uthe kumaWorld Champs azoqala ngoJulayi 15, e-Oregon, e-USA, uzogijima yona imarathon.