AKAZIMISELE nakancane ngokuzithambisa u-Ayanda Ngcobo (25) weXcel Running Club kwiDurban International Marathon ezoba ngeSonto, eMoses Mabhida Stadium. Lo mjaho uzobuye uxube ne-SA Marathon Championship.
UNgcobo ungomunye wabasubathi abaseqenjini lakulesi sifundazwe okubhekwe ukuthi lenze kahle. Ngaphandle kwakhe, kukhona noBonginkosi Mavuso, Ndumiso Sokhela, Nkosikhona Mhlakwana, Ncedisani Phungula, Siboniso Sikhakhane, Nkosinathi Duma, Nkosinathi Ngcongo noSimphiwe Zulu.
Kwabesifazane kunoJenet Mbhele owanqoba ama-SA Championships nyakenye, Ntokozo Mkhize, Ann Ashworth, Fikile Mbuthuma, Lisa Collet noSarah Mthembu.
UNgcobo ukhethelwe kuleli qembu ngenxa yokwenza isikhathi esiwu-2:18.08 kwiHarry Gwala District Marathon nyakenye.
Utshele Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo ukuthi nakuba ehambe kabuhlungu amalungiselelo eDurban International ngenxa yokulimala, kodwa usezizwa esewumqemane.
Uveze nokuthi usizwe ukusebenza kusakhanya. Echaza kabanzi ngalokhu kulimala, uthe: "Ngilimale ngesikhathi kumele ngiye kwiBhekizizwe Joseph Shabalala Marathon emasontweni edlule. Lokhu kulimala kuphinde kwangiphuthisela ngethuba lokuyogijima kwiNedbank Runfied Breaking Barriers 50km Ultra Marathon, eGqeberha. Nokho kungisizile ukuthi ngihlale ngiwumgijimi ohlale eziqeqesha."
Lo msubathi oqeqeshwa uXolani Mabhida, uthe ngeke nakancane azethwese umthwalo wokufuna ukwenza irekhodi kulo mjaho okubuye kuhlungelwe ngawo ama-World Athletics Championships azoba eBudapest, eHungary, ngo-Agasti.
Abahleli bawo baphinde baveza ukuthi bazokhala bemuke nesamba sikaR50 000 abasubathi bobubili obubili abazoshaya intambo ngeSonto. Bamemezele nokuthi abakuleli abazofika kuqala entanjeni bazophinde bathole uR20 000.
Baveze nokuthi kwabesilisa abazokwazi ukwenza isikhathi esiwu-2:08.10 kwabesilisa nesiwu-2:26.50 kwabesifazane bazoklonyeliswa ngoR181 400.
Lezi zikhathi ngezokuhlungela ukuya eBudapest. UNgcobo osanda kunqoba iBest of the Best Marathon ku-21km, uthe nakuba iconsisa amathe le miklomelo kodwa akafuni ukuzicindeza ngoba usakhula kulo mdlalo.
"Engikufunayo wukuthi ngingene kwi-top 10 yeDurban International nakumaSA Championship. Uma ngikwazile ukwenza lokho kuyobe ngikufezile ebengikufuna.
“Ngizwile ngemiklomelo econsisa amathe kodwa uma ngingaphika nayo ngizogcina ngizilimaza. Ukhumbule ukuthi le yi-marathon yami eyesithathu, kumele nginyathele ngokucophelela. Nakuba ngisemncane kulo mdlalo kodwa senginaso isipiliyoni," kuqhuba uNgcobo okuzobe kungokokuqala emela iKwaZulu-Natal, ezingeni le Ningizimu Afrika kwimarathon.
Nokho uke wayimela kwi-track and field nakwi-cross-country. Nyakenye, uphume indawo yesithathu kwiPrince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Ultra 52km Marathon nakweyesithsthu kwiDrakensberg Marathon.