Imbaleki yaseSajonisi iphumelele iAfrican Bank Soweto Marathon!

Emva kokuzama iminyaka elishumi yonke, uNtsindiso Mphakathi ude wayifumana intshinga yeminye yemidyarho yeembaleki ebalulekileyo eMzantsi Afrika. Imbaleki yaseMpuma Koloni iphume phambili, ngalo ndlela yaba kukugwetywa kwendla yeminyaka izama ukuphumelela iAfrican Bank Soweto Mmarathon.

UMphakathi, 33, ubaleke umgama ongamashumi amane anesibini eekhilomothazi (42km) kwiiyure ezimbini ezineshumi elinethoba lemizuzu (2:19:13) eshiya imbaleki yase-Ethiopia egama linguDaba Ife Debele kwindawo yesibini ebaleke ixesha eliziiyure ezimbini (2:19:52).

Indawo yesithathu ifunyenwe nguTony Skink waseZimbabwe obaleke ixesha eliziiyure ezimbini namashumi amabini emizuzu. Kuye kwathi nco entliziyweni yakhe uMphakathi ohlala eSoweto emva kokuphumelela kwakhe ngempelaveki.

“Ukuphumelela iAfrican Bank Soweto Marathon yinto ebaluleke kakhulu kum,” utshilo uMphakathi ethetha neentatheli emva kokuthwwaliswa isithsaba kwakhe njengetshatsheli entsha yonyaka ka2023.

Sekulithuba elide indedeba yaseSajonisi, ehlala eGauteng, inephupha lokuphumelela iSoweto Marathon ebisoloko iphunyelelwa ziimbaleki zamanye amazwe.

“Ndinethuba elide ndizama ukufumana indawo ebhetele kwiSoweto Marathon. Ngonyaka ka2017, ndafumana indawo yesithathu. Ukusukela ngoko, bendizama ukufumana indawo ephezulu ngoba iimbaleki ezininzi ezibaleka apha ziphuma kwamanye amazwe.

Yiyo lo nto ndichulumance kakhulu namhlanje,” utshilo uMphakathi obebambe indawo yesihlanu kunyaka ophelileyo. Ukuphumelela kwakhe kuyancomeka – kodwa akothusi ngoba uphantsi koqeqesho lukaHendrick Ramaala – igqala lembaleki eyaziwayo kakhulu kwicandelo leembaleki eMzantsi Afrika.

Ziinyanga ezine uNtsindiso azincamileyo elungiselela ugqatso ade waliphumelela ekugqibeleni. “Akululanga ukubaleka iSoweto Marathon. Kufuneka ube nomonde futhi uzilungiselele kakuhle ngoba inamaqhina kakhulu. Ngethamsanqa ndiyenye yeembaleki eziwonwabelayo umdyarho onzima.

Khange ndibaleke kakhulu kulo nyaka. Ndibaleke KwaZulu-Natal kwiinyanga zokuqala zonyaka iComrades Marathon – kodwa emva kwayo ndibaleke nje iRun Your City Joburg engumgama weekhilomitha ezilishumi,” utshilo uNtsindiso. Kwicala lamanenekazi, u-Irvette van Zyl, ubambe indawo yokuqala emva kokubaleka iiyure ezintathu zonke.