UNtando Mahlangu uncome kakhulu umqeqeshi wakhe uMnu. Neil Cornelius emva kokuphumelela igolide emidlalweni ye-Olimpiki yabaphila nenkubazeko eqhubekayo eJapan. Elona qela elikhulu ebelimele uMzantsi Afrika libaphoxile kakhulu abantu emva kokuba libuye negolide enye kwiimbasa ezintathu elibuye nazo – kodwa bona abaqhwalelayo sebenze ngcono ngoba sebefumene iigolide ezintathu zonke. Phambi kokuphumelela kukaMahlangu otsibe umgama oyi-7.17m kwiT63 Class, igolide yokuqala ize no-Anrune Weyers ngokuphumelela emanenekazini abekhuphisana kwi-400m T47 Class. Ethetha emva kokubhala imbali entsha kwiincwadi zemidlalo ye-Olimpiki, uMahlangu uthe:
“Le mbasa, ayisiyoyam ndodwa. Kuninzi okwenziwe ngumqeqeshi wam ehleli ekhaya. Ndiqinisekile, wonywabe kakhulu apho akhoyo ngoku,” utshilo uMahlangu, ongomye wabadlali abasebenzisa imilenze engoozenzele – kodwa abenza izinto ezinkulu. Phambi kokuya ebaleni, uMahlangu unikwe amazwi enkuthazo ngumqeqeshi wakhe athe amnika amdla wokwenza imbali. “Musa ukuzikhathaza, yiya ngamandla wakho onke. Ndiyakwazi ungabuya nayo,” utshilo uMahlangu ebalisa. UCornelius yindoda enesandla esihle ngoba usiloko ekhupha iintshatsheli. Kwiminyaka edlulileyo, wayeqeqesha uLuvo Manyonga – owabuya nembasa kwi-Olimpiki yaseRio, eBrazil, ngonyaka ka-2016.
“Ndimkwaze kakhulu uMahlangu phambi kokuya ebaleni. Kugxume uNkosikazi wam ekude esiva ingxolo. Ndithe kuye: Khululeka, sukoyisa, zithembe futhi uhlasele ngamandla,” utshilo uCornelius kwimbalelwano ekhutshwe yiTuks Sport. UMongameli welizwe, uCyril Ramaphosa, uqhwabele izandla uNtando Mahlangu no-Anrune Weyers emva kokunika uMzantsi Afrika iimbasa ezimbini zegolide. UCornelius umchaze uMahlangu njengomntu ozimiseleyo kakhulu nothanda izinto ezigqibeleleyo. NgoLwesibini ekuseni, uMzantsi Afrika ufumene enye igolide ephunyelelwe nguPieter du Preez obebaleka ngesitulo esinamavili nenye isilivere.
URonwen Williams ucelela inkxaso yabalandeli beChiefs nePirates!