XOLILE MPISANE
UBONA esahamba kahle amalungiselelo ama-Olympic azoqala ngenyanga ezayo umsubathi waseNingizimu Afrika, uWayde van Niekerk, nakuba engakashayi izikhathi ezinhle.
Ama-Olympic azoqala ngoJulayi 26 eParis, eFrance. UVan Niekerk ngomunye wababhekiwe ukuthola izindondo.
Lo msubathi ugijime umjaho ka-400m kwi-USATF Grand Prix, eNew York, e-USA ngeSonto, waqeda endaweni yesithathu ngemizuzwana engu-44.74.
Kunqobe uKirani James waseGrenada ngesikhathi esingu-44.55, endaweni yesibili kwangena uChris Bailey wase-USA ngo-44.73.
Bekungokokuqala ezigijimela yedwa kuleli banga kulo nyaka. NgoMashi ugijime i-relay ka-400m kwiPepsi Florida Relays, e-USA. Uphinde wagijima neqembu le-relay kumaWorld Athletics Relays eBahamas ngenyanga edlule, wahoxa ngaphambi komjaho wamanqamu.
KumaSouth African Championships ayeseMsunduzi Athletics Stadium, eMgungundlovu, ngo-Ephreli, wangenela imijaho ka-200m, washiywa nguBenjamin Richardson kowamanqamu.
Ngenyanga edlule bekufanele agijime kwi-adidas Atlanta City Games wagcina ehoxile ngenxa yokuthinteka eqolo.
Uthe lo mjaho wakamuva umkhombisile ukuthi kufanele aqinise kuphi ngaphambi kokulibangisa eParis.
“Size sangena kumamitha angu-100 okugcina sisahambisana ngakho-ke bengazi ukuthi sizoqhudelana size sifike entanjeni. Kulezi nsuku bengigxile endleleni engiqeda ngayo umjaho kodwa kusobala ukuthi kusafanele ngithuthuke lapho,” uphawule kanje uVan Niekerk ekhasini le-Citius Mag kwiYouTube ngemuva komjaho.
“Amasonto amabili edlule ahambe kahle. Bengizimisela ngakho-ke ngizizwa ngizethemba futhi ngingumqemane. Yize ngingakafiki ezingeni lami eliphezulu. Kuyangikhuthaza ukuqeda umjaho onzima kangaka ngibhekene nezimbangi ezihamba phambili emhlabeni futhi bengiqophisana nazo kwaze kwaba sekugcineni.”
Nyakenye uVan Niekerk wayezihambela yedwa kwiDiamond League, enqoba imijaho e-Oslo, Chorzow naseLondon. Nokho, izinto azimhambelanga kahle kumaWorld Championships eBudapest lapho angena khona endaweni yesikhombisa kowamanqamu ku-400m.
Kulokhu uzimisele ngokuthi aqhubeke nokuthuthuka kancane kancane kuze kufike umqhudelwano omkhulu. Lo mgijimi wahlonishwa emhlabeni enqoba igolide kuma-Olympic, eRio de Janeiro, eBrazil eqopha irekhodi elisha elingu-43:03.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi indlela engiqhuba ngayo iyinkomba enhle yomsebenzi ebengiwenza ngesikhathi ngizilolonga futhi ingikhombisa kahle okufanele ngikwenze ukuze ngiye phambili. Lo mjaho (ka-400m) uvulelekile okwamanje,” uqhube kanje.
“Ngonyaka odlule bengihamba phambili emhlabeni isizini yonke kodwa kwathi sengifika kumaWorld Championship ngahluleka ukunqoba. Engikubhekile manje ukuqhubeka nezinhlelo zami, ngibone ukuthi ngizofika kuma-Olympic ngikusiphi isimo. Ngifuna ukuhlala ngiwumqemane, ngiphumule kahle, bese ngiyabona ukuthi ngizofikaphi.”