SITHEMBISO MKHIZE
INSEPHE yomgijimi wakuleli, uStephen Mokoka, ivume iphutha elenzile ihluleka wukudla isicoco seCape Town Marathon okwesine izolo, eKapa.
UMokoka uhluleke sekusele amamitha kubhekwe entanjeni edlulwa u-Adane Kabede Gebre wase-Ethiopia onqobe umjaho ngo-2:11:26.
Lo mgijimi wakuleli obelwela ukuvikela isicoco ungene isibili ngo-2:11:30.
Isithathu kube uBernard Kipkorir waseKenya (2:11.48). Omunye wakuleli ongene kwabayishumi bokuqala uKabelo Melamu olale isishiyagalolunye (2:12.45).
Umjaho wabesilisa ubushubile njengoba bebelokhu beyisixhanti sabagijimi abacela kwisishiyagalombili yize bese kucaca ukuthi umjaho usuya ngasekupheleni.
Sekubhekwe ebangeni lika-40km, uMokoka obese ekakwe uzamile ukugqashula. Kulabo ababekhona u-Adane uyena omlandelile. Uke wavula igebe cishe lika-10m kodwa lo mgijimi wase-Ethiopia ubangazimisele ngokusuka. Kuthe sekubhekwe ngasenkundleni okuqedelwa kuyona umjaho, yalokhu isondela le nsizwa kwacaca ukuthi uMokoka usegadle ngakho konke abenakho, wagcina esalile.
Okugcine kududuze uMokoka ukuthi usaliphethe irekhodi lalo mjaho elingu-2:08.31 alenza enqoba ngo-2018.
ICape Town Marathon uphinde wayinqoba ngo-2021 ngesiwu-2:10.01 nanyakenye ngesiwu-2:09.58.
Kuzokhumbuleka ukuthi ekuqaleni kwale nyanga uMokoka usize elakuleli linqoba indondo yethusi kumaWorld Road Running Championships abeseLatvia.
Ekhuluma nabakwaSuperSport ngemumva komjaho, uthe: "Bengimatasa kakhulu kumasonto ayisithupha edlule. Ngiqale ngaya eSydney ( e-Australia) ngase ngilibhekisa kumaWorld Road Running Championships, eLatvia. Namhlanje (izolo) sengilana eCape Town. Ngijabule ngandawo engilale kuyo. Inhloso yami bekuwukuthi ngiyinqobe kane iCape Town Marathon. Ngikwazile ukukwenza lokhu kwiShangai Marathon. Ngebhadi bekungelona usuku lwami. Akuhambanga ngendlela ebesihlele ngayo.“
Ebuzwa ukuthi konakale kuphi, uveze ukuthi wenzelwe phansi imilenze yakhe.
"Ku-38km kuya ku-39km ngicabanga ukuthi ngeqiwe injabulo. Ekhanda lami bekuduma ukuthi ngizokwazi ukuzishiya ngejubane izimbangi zami kwazise emasontweni edlule ngenze isikhathi esiwu (60). Inkinga iqale sekusele u-800m. Umoya uvele wavunguza ngamandla. Kuthe sekusele u-300m izinyawo zivele zangafuna ukusebenza. Ngizamile ukuziphoqa kodwa zenqaba. Sengingena kumata (okuqedwa kuyona) ilapho engibone khona ukuthi sewungiphuyukile lo mjaho", kuqhuba uMokoka.
Uthe inhloso yakhe ukwenza isikhathi esihle uma kwenzeka ephinde emenywa kwiCape Town Marathon.
"Kuningi esingikwenzile kwiCape Town Marathon. Ngaqale ngagijima u-2:08, ngalandela ngo-2:09. Ngiphinde nganqoba ngo-2:10. Manje sengenze u-2:11. Ngithandazela ukuthi ngokuzayo nginganyukeli ku-2:12. Isifiso sami ukuyeka ukugijima ngenze u-2:08.14 kulo mjaho. Ngingajabula kakhulu uma kungafezeka leli phupho.“
Kwabesifazane kukhonye i-Ethiopia njengoba babe bahlanu abaphume ku-Top 8.
Intambo ishaywe uTsige Abreha (2:24.15). Abakhaya bakhe uMelesech Beyene uphume kweyesibili (2:26.19), uShewarge Amare walala isithathu (2:27.23).