Iimbaleki ezimbini eziphokeleyo zibhale iincwadi zembali ngokutsha kwiComrades Marathon yalo nyaka. UGerda Steyn noWiersma baphume amagqabini ngokwahlukana kwabo kwiComrades Marathon ebisuka eThekwini isiya ePietermaritzburg.
Wophule irekhodi uSteyn ngokubaleka ixesha eliziiyure ezintlanu namashumi amane anethoba emizuzu (5:49:46) kwiComrades enyukayo. Embalini kweli lizwe, zange kubekho imbaleki ephumelela iTwo Oceans Marathon, iComrades Marathona iphinde ikwazi nokuya emidlalweni ye’Olimpiki enyakeni omnye njengaye uGerda Stayn.
Ngokuphumelela kwakhe iComrades Marathon kathathu iminyaka ilandelelana, uSteyn uzifumanele imali yamabhaso afikelele kwizigidi ezibini (R2-million) ngeCawe edlulileyo. Noxa enze umsebenzi omhle futhi onzima – kodwa uSteyn akazimiselanga ukuphumla.
Ngoku uthe uza kulungiselela ukuya emidlalweni ye’Olimpiki entlobo ntlobo eza kube ibanjelwe eFrance kwinyanga ezayo. “Ndiqinisekile ukuba zange kubekho imbaleki ebaleka iComrades iphinde iye kwi’Olimpiki enyakeni omnye,” utshilo uSteyn.
“Luxanduva endilubeke emagxeni wam. Ndizimisele ukuncumisa bonke abantu. Ndiqinisekile ingenzeka lo nto,” utshilo uSteyn obechulumancile emva kokufinca umgama ongaphezulu kwamashumi asibhozo eekhilomithazi ebaleka.
“Ndiyavuya izinto zindihambele kakuhle kulo nyaka emva kokuqhuba kakuhle nakunyaka ophelileyo. Kunzima ukubaleka kwi’Olimpiki. Ngoku ndiza kuzilungiselela ukuze ndiqinisekise ukuba isantya sam sihlala siphezulu ndiqinise nemilenze yam,” utshilo uSteyn ojonge ukwenza umsebenzi ongcono kunalowo awawenza eJapan ngo2020.
Yena uPiet Wiersma waseNetherlands uphumelele iComrades (5:25:00) kwicala lamadoda okokuqala ebomini bakhe. Emva kokuyiphosa kancinci kunyaka ophelileyo, kulo nyaka ugaleleke eMzantsi Afrika ezimisele ukulungisa iimpazamo.
Uyenzile lo nto watsho wafumana isityhwentywe semali yamabhaso engaphezulu kwamakhulu asibhozo amawaka eerandi (R825 0000). Indawo yesibini ifunyenwe nguDan Moselekwa (5:25:45) walapha eMzantsi Afrika. Le mbaleki yeNedbank Running Club yayifumene indawo yesithathu kunyaka ophelileyo. Indawo yesithathu ithathwe nguDegefa Lafebo wase-Ethiopia ngexesha eliziiyure ezintlanu (5:27:48).
IPirates idibana neentanga zayo namhlanje kwiMTN8, utsho uSage Stephens!