UMGIJIMI odle umhlanganiso kwi-Best of the Best Marathon, uSiyabonga Mafuleka, uveze ukuthi ubezozwa amanzi ngobhoko kulo mjaho abezimsele ngokuwusebenzisa ukuzivivinyela ukuyogijima iComrades Marathon ngoJuni.
UMafuleka (32) waseJozini, KwaMhlabuyalingana, ongaphansi kweSavages Athletic Club, udle ubhedu kulo mjaho ebangeni lika-42km ngesikhathi esingu-2:24:5. Ulandelwe ezithendeni ngu-Ayanda Ngcobo we-Excell Running Club olale isibili ngo-2:25:21, isithathu kwaba nguNkululeko Mgubhela we-Entsika Running Club ngo-2:26:38.
Kwabesifazane kuphume phambili uRholex Kogo waseKenya ngesikhathi esingu-2:38:50, isibili kwaba nguShelmit Nyawila Muriuki naye ongowaseKenya ngo-2:56:6. Endaweni yesithathu kungene uJenna Challenor ogijimile iMurray and Roberts KZN.
UMgubhela olale isithathu kwabesilisa ku-42km, nguyena obevikela isicoco kodwa wakhala ngaphansi kuMafuleka kulo mjaho oqale wasongwa eKings Park Athletics Stadium, eThekwini, izolo.
UMafuleka noKogo kwabesifazane bahlabane ngo-R15 000 emunye ebangeni lika-42km. Ku-21km ophume phambili uhlabane ngo-R4 000. Abawine ku-10km bagoduke no-R2 000 emunye kulo mjaho obuxhaswe yiNdabe Dignified Funeral ngemali noMngeni Water ngamanzi kubagijimi.
Lo mjaho waminyaka yonke ubalwa nesetshenziswa ngabagijimi ukwenza izikhathi zokuzibekisela indawo kwi-Totalsport Two Oceans Marathon neComrades Marathon.
“Ngijabule kakhulu ngokunqoba lo mjaho. Empeleni lapha bengizozikala ukuba qatha kwami njengoba ngilungiselela ukugijima iComrades Marathon. KwiComrades yakulo nyaka ngiyolwa ngempela, ngizimisele ngokwenza isikhathi esingcono kakhulu kunangenkathi ngigcina ukuyigiiima.
Ukwenza kahle kwami kuyangikhuthaza kakhulu. Ngibonga abakithi abaphansi nabo bonke engisondelene nabo abangesekayo, okubalwa nomqeqeshi wami uMthandeni Nene, okunguyena ongigqugquzelile ukuthi ngizobamba iqhaza kulo mqhudelwano,” kusho uMafuleka.
Lo mgijimi owaphuma endaweni ka-21 kwiComrades ka-2023, akawugijimanga lo mjaho nyakenye ngenxa yokulimala. IComrades yakulo nyaka yebanga lika-85.9km ezogijinywa kusukwa eMgungundlovu kubhekwe eThekwini, izoba ngoJuni 8.
Unqoba i-Best of the Best uMafuleka nje, ngoFebhuwari, udle umhlanganiso kwiRichards Bay Minerals Marathon.