UMGIJIMI waKwaZulu-Natal, osanda kudla umhlanganiso kwiTotalsports Two Oceans Marathon, uMbuleli Mathanga, uthi ubona ukuthi ukukhetha imijaho yikho okumsebenzele ngeledlule wanqoba lo mjaho ebangeni lika-21km, eKapa.
UMathanga (29), olale isine emjahweni nyakenye ewugijima okokuqala, kowakulo nyaka udle umhlanganiso ngesikhathi esingu-63:58 egabisela ngezithende u-Elroy Gelant oshaye esika-64:05.
Lo mgijimi waseMpangeni, ongaphansi kwePhantane Athletics Club, unqoba lo mjaho nje, ubesanda kumangaza abaningi egabha i-Athletics South Africa (ASA) Senior Track and Field Championships ebingoMashi 30 kuya ku-Ephreli, ePotschestroom, eNorth-West, obekulindeleke ukuthi avikele isicoco sakhe sika-10 000m asinqobe ngo-2021, wasivikela ngo-2022.
Kodwa ukhethe ukonga amandla ngenhloso yokuyoyibamba kwiTwo Oceans, nafike adla amhlanganiso kuyo.
“Sihlale phansi nomqeqeshi wami uMdu Khumalo, wathi kimi ‘mfana usuzakhele manje igama, sekuyisikhathi sokuthi ukhande amasenti.’ Ngaleyo ndlela-ke sabe sesithatha isinqumo sokuthi ngingabe ngisaya kwiSenior Track and Field Championships, ngaya kwiTwo Oceans enemali engconywana.
“Ngiye kwiTwo Oceans ngizilungiselele ngokwanele, futhi ngiphumule ngokwanele. Okuyinto ebalulekile kumgijimi ozimisele ngokwenza kahle emijahweni, ukukhetha imijaho. Hhayi ukugijima yonke imijaho eqhamukayo. Senginomndeni manje, nginezingane ezimbili. Umndeni wami ubheke mina, kanjalo futhi nasekhaya babheke mina. Ngakho kufanele kwengikutholayo ngenze impilo ibe ngcono emndeninini wami nasekhaya.
“Ngakho-ke sengithathe isinqumo sokuthi ngigxile emijahweni yasemgwaqweni enemali engcono futhi ngiyikhethe nemijaho engiyigijimayo ukuze ngonge amandla okuyogijima imijaho emikhulu,” kulandisa uMathanga, ophinde abe ngumpetha kazwelonke we-ASA Cross Country Championships.
Njengamanje uMathanga okungakapholi maseko enqobe iTwo Oceans, uthi basayimunyunga nomqeqeshi wakhe uKhumalo, ukuthi yimuphi umjaho azobamba iqhaza kuwona phakathi kwe-Ultra-trail Drakensberg 21km ezoba ngo-Ephreli 29, nowePrince Mangosuthu Ultra Marathon, ezoba ngo-Ephreli 30.
Ngokwakhe umgijimi ufisa ukuyogijima koweDrakensberbg 21km, ozomnika ithuba lokwenza isikhathi esingambekisela indawo kwiWorld Mountain and Trail Running Championships, ezoba ngoJuni e-Austria.
Uqhube wathi ubheke neminye imijaho yebanga lika-21km ezayo, okubalwa oweNelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon ozoba ngoJuni, eGqeberha, Eastern Cape. Kanti ubheke nokuyoyibamba kwiValencia Marathon ezoba ngoDisemba 2, eValencia, eSpain.
“Inhloso yami enkulu wukuthi ngikwazi ukuzibekisela indawo kuma-Olympic Games ngokuthi ngigijime kule marathon yaseValencia,” kuphetha uMathanga.
Kuhlelwe ukuthi ama-Olympic Games abe ngoJulayi 26 kuya ku-Agasti 11, ngo-2024, eParis, eFrance.