KUGCINE kusilungele isithandwa somsubathi waseNingizimu Afrika, uWayde van Niekerk, eqopha isikhathi esimnika igunya lokuyovikela isicoco sakhe sika-400m kuma-Olympics aseTokyo ngoJulayi kodwa kusemnyama kwesinye isilomo sakuleli uCaster Semenya.
Ngemuva kokungabaza isikhathi eside nokulimala ngokulandelana, uVan Niekerk usengaqala ukulungiselela ukuyovikela isicoco sakhe asidle ngerekhodi lomhlaba kuma-Olympics adlule.
UVan Niekerk (28) ugijime u-44:56 ku-400m emidlalweni ebiseMadrid eSpain, ngempelasonto ngaphansi kweWorld Athletics Continental Tour.
Ezingemnandi nokho zithi ngosuku olufanayo omunye umpetha wakuleli kuma-Olympics, uSemenya, akabanga nosuku olufanayo. USemenya uzama ukugijima isikhathi esizomgunyaza ukuthi abe yingxenye yomjaho ka-5000m, kwazise ngeke alithole ithuba lokuvikela isicoco sakhe ku-800m.
Ngawo uMgqibelo uSemenya ubeseGermany, lapho ebeyozama ukwenza isikhathi esidingekayo kodwa kwabhimba elala isine ngo-15:57:12 ekubeni umjaho awuyela eTokyo, kungenwa kuwona ngo-15:10.
Imenenja kaSemenya, okuyiyona ebitshele Isolezwe ukuthi uzoba seGermany ngempelasonto edlule, ithe uSemenya uzothola ithuba lokugcina eLiege, eBelgium ngoJuni 30. Yize kukuhle lokhu kodwa akucaci ukuthi kuzokwenzeka kanjani njengoba umthetho uthi, usuku lokugcina lokuzama ukuzifaka kuma-Olympics, lumile kuJuni 29.
Umengameli we-Athletics South Africa (ASA) uJames Moloi ubongele uVan Niekerk, wase ekhuthaza okungakabalungeli njengoSemenya.
“Siyaziqhenya ngokwenziwe nguVan Niekerk nethimba lakhe ngoba sebekuzuzile ebesikufisa sonke. Yize isikhathi sibukeka sihlukile kwesakhe esijwayelekile kodwa okumqoka ukuthi usengenile,” kusho lo mengameli esitatimendeni se-ASA.
Uqhube wathi: “Bonke abangakazishayi izikhathi ezidingekayo sithi abakhuthazeke bazame konke okungasiza ngoba ithuba lisekhona. ”Esikufisayo ukuba neqembu eliqinile eTokyo, yingakho kusemqoka ukuthi laba abadle umhlanganiso eRio de Janeiro, bathole ithuba lokuvikela izicoco zabo.”
Muva nje, uSponge Seme owayeqeqesha uSemenya uthe, uyaziqhenya ngalo msubathi ngokulwela kwakhe abesifazane abanjengaye kodwa lokhu kuphazamise amalungiselelo akhe emjahweni webanga angalijwayele.