ISIHLABANI somgijimi, uNkosinathi 'Pit Bull’ Mhlakwana, sithi umagange ngokuza nolunye unyawo kwiTotalsports Two Oceans Marathon yalo nyaka nokuholele ekutheni agweme ukugijima eminye imijaho esondelene nalo mjaho ngenhloso yokonga amandla.
ITwo Oceans Marathon yebanga lika-56km ezogijinyelwa eKapa, ngo-Ephreli 15 nonyaka. Nyakenye yanqotshwa wu-Edendale Belachew wase-Ethiopia ngesikhathi esingu-3:09:05 eshiya uMhlakwana owalala isibili ngesikhathi esingu-3:09:08.
UMhlakwana (29) odabuka KwaMathandubisi, eHowick, wayegijima okokuqala kulo mjaho onedumela webanga elide nokuyilapho enza okwakungalindelekile ephuma endaweni yesibili.
Uphinde waphuma endawenni yesithupha kwiComrades Marathon, ekhombisa ukudlondlobala kwazise ngo-2019 wayephume endaweni ka 11.
“Okokuqala nje engifisa ukukucacisa wukuthi kungikhuthaze kakhulu ukuklonyeliswa yikilabhu yami i-Athletics Club ngomklomelo wokuba ngumgijimi owenze kahle ngo-2022.
“Lokho kuklonyeliswa kwami nabanye ozakwethu abenze kahle, kungikhuthaze kakhulu kwangifaka umfutho wokuzimisela kakhulu kunakuqala. Nomqeqeshi wami uProdigal Khumalo ubambe elikhulu iqhaza ekungikhuthazeni,” kusho uMhlakwana ongaphansi kweHollywoodbets Athletics Club.
Uqhube wathi: “Nakuba ngizoyigijima iBest of the Best, kodwa ngizoyigwema eminye imijaho esondelene kakhulu nomjaho iTwo Oceans Marathon.
Lapha ngikhuluma ngeDurban International Marathon ezoba ngoMashi, okungomunye wemijaho esezingeni eliphezulu kulesi sifundazwe saseKZN, kodwa ngeshwa engingeke ngikwazi ukubamba iqhaza kuwo iTwo Oceans. Ngizimisele ngokwenza kangcono kakhulu emjahweni walo nyaka, ngizimisele ukwenza isikhathi esingcono kunaleso engasenza ngonyaka odlule,“ kusho yena.
IBest of the Best izogijinywa ngoFebhuwari 26, isuka futhi iphelele eKings Park Athletics Stadium, eThekwini. Nyakenye uMhlakwana wadla umhlanganiso kulo mjaho ngesikhathi esiwu-2:16:33, nokube sekuholela ekutheni abahleli bawo iRavens Athletics Club ibeke lo mgijimi njengenxusa lawo (umjaho).