Thulani Sidziya: Ibiliphupha lam ukubaleka iComrades Marathon!

UThulani Sidziya ubalekela iZwelonke Athletics Club yakuGatyane.

Kunzima ukubaleka iComrades Marathon, batsho bonke abantu ababuya kuyo. Naye uThulani Sidziya uyangqina ukuba kunjalo – kodwa nangona kunjalo, uyakwazi ukuzenzela imbali njengaye xa uye kuyo uzimisele. USidziya, 40, waseMboya, kuGatyane, ebephakathi kwenyambalala yeembaleki ezivuke ngonyezi zaqhwaba itha zibaleka iComrades Marathona engumgama ongamashumi asibhozo anesithandathu eekhilomitha ngomhla wethoba kule nyanga.

Ngenxa yokuzilungiselela kwakhe kakuhle, imbaleki yakuGatyane ibuye exwaye imbasa yesilivere emva kokubaleka ixesha eliziiyure ezisixhenxe (7:16:00) iqala. “Kundonwabisile ukufumana imbasa yesilivere ndiqala ukubaleka iComrades.

Yinto endiye ndifuna yona kakade,” utshilo uSidziya obalekela iZwelonke Athletics Club. Bekunzima kuye ukubaleka iComrades – kodwa ufikile entanjeni nakubeni ebekhe wakhathazwa lidolo. Okuncomekayo kukuba ukwazile ukuncenga wayokufika entanjeni ngexesha ebezibekele lona ngethuba esenza amalungiselelo wakhe.

“Kunzima xa inyuka iComrades – kodwa amalungiselelo wam andincedile phambi kokuya phaya. Wona amaqhina ayafana nokuba unyuka kuGatyane okanye eGcuwa. Into ebalulekileyo kukwenza into ekulingeneyo,” utshilo uSidziya oliPolisa eGcuwa.

Ekukhuleni kwakhe njengembaleki, uThulani wazixelela ukuba ngenye imini uza kuzigxama kwiComrades Marathon ebalekwa rhoqo ebusika. “Ibiliphupha lam ukubaleka iComrades. Ndazixelela ukuba xa ndikweli khabathiso leminyaka ndifuna ukubaleka imigama emide.

Umzekelo, kulo nyaka bendiqala ukubaleka ugqatso elungaphezulu kweekhilomitha ezingaphezulu kwamashumi amane (42km). Ndabuya ndikhuthazekile apho ngoba ndabamba indawo yesine. Kanti bendiqhube kakuhle nakwiTwo Oceans endifumene kuyo isilivere,” utshilo uSidziya echwayitile kakhulu.

Uqinisekisile ukuba uyaya nakunyaka ozayo – kodwa ufuna kakhulu iComrades ka2026 ngoba ufuna ukwenza bhetele kuyo ngaphezulu kwalo nyaka ebeqala ngawo. “Nakanjani, kunyaka ozayo ndiyaya. Akukho mntu ongayifuniyo iComrades xa kusehliwa.

Injongo ephambili kukwenza elona xesha elifutshane kunelalo unyaka. Iza kwenzeka lo nto ngaphandle kokuba kungakho ingxaki. Kodwa eyona endiyijonge kakhulu iComrades yeka2026. Ndifuna ukwenza ngcono xa kunyukwa. Nifuna ukwenza ixesha elibhetele kunalo unyaka,” utshilo uSidziya, olebele ngelithi abafuna ukuya mabazilungiselele ngokupheleleyo phambi kokuya kwiComrades.