UNCOME ozakwabo, uGerda Steyn abencintisana nabo ephinda edla umhlanganiso kwiComrades Marathon yakulo nyaka ebinyuka isuka eCity Hall, eThekwini iya eScottville Racecourse, eMgungundlovu.
USteyn (34) waseBothaville, eFree State ongaphansi kwePhantane Athletic Club, ubesenqoba iComrades okwesibili iminyaka ilandelana. Lo mjaho obungu-85.9km wawunqoba nanyakenye kwehliwa. Akagcinanga nje ngokukhombisa ukukhonya kulo mjaho njengoba ephinde waphula elinye irekhodi uma kwenyukwa.
Uqophe irekhodi elisha lika-5:49:46 ephula elika-5:58:53 ayelishaye ngo-2019 kwenyukwa, wabe esekhala emuka noR500 000 ngokwephula irekhodi engenza ku-R825 000 abevele ewuhlomulile ngokunqoba umjaho.
Emihlomulweni yakhe yosuku ifinyelele ezigidini ezimbili njengoba kukhona no-R200 000 wokuba owokuqala wakuleli ukuqeda. UR50 000 wokudlula kuqala kwiCell C Hot Sport kanye no-R500 000 wokwenza isikhathi esihle ngekhilomitha (Best average pace).
Isibili sithathwe wu-Alexander Morozova waseRussia ngesikhathi esingu-6:05:12. Isithathu sathathwa wuCourtney Olsen wase-USA ngesikhathi esingu-6:8:9.
Ukunqoba kukaSteyn evula igebe elikhulu lemizuzu engu-15 phakathi kwakhe noMorozova kuphinde kwakhombisa ukudlondlobala kwakhe kulo mjaho.
“Ngijabule kakhulu ngale mpumelelo engiyitholile kulo mjaho wakulo nyaka. Ingimangazile indlela abakhombise ngayo ukuzimisela ozakwethu engiphume nabo kwabayishumi bokuqala, lokho kukhombisa ukuthuthuka komjaho (kwabesifazane).
Ngenkathi sengigijime uhhafu webanga ngibone kufanele ngizinike ithuba lokuthi ngilwele ukujaha irekhodi, futhi bengisazizwa nginamandla,” kusho uSteyn.
“Ngifisa ukuncoma ozakwethu ebengincintisana nabo, ngoba ngikholwa wukuthi le mpumelelo yami akufanele ithathwe njengeyami ngedwa, kufanele ithathwe njengempumelelo yabo bonke abagijimi besifazane abebambe iqhaza emjahweni wakulo nyaka.”
UGerda osenqobe lo mjaho weComrades amahlandla amathathu kusukela awunqoba okokuqala ngo-2019, uya ngokuya ekhombisa ukukhonya kwabesifazane futhi engenaye untanga njengoba esewaphule wonke amarekhodi alo mjaho kwehliwa noma kwenyukwa.
Ukuqhubeka kwakhe nokukhonya kusho ukuphela kokukhonya kwabagijimi besifazane base-Europe, njengoba eminyakeni edlule kuke kwakhonya abaseRussia iminyaka eminingana ilandelana.
Abayishumi abaphume phambili kwabesifazane: Gerda Steyn (5:49:46); Alexander Morozova (6:05:12); Courtney Olsen (6:08:09); Carla Molinaro (6:12:01); Nobukhosi Tshuma (6:12:01); Antonina Iushina (6:12:28); Caitriona Jennings (6:13:00); Jenet Mbhele (6.16:54); Dominika Stelmach (6:19:24); Yulia Ryzhankova (6:28:22).