Imbaleki yaKwaZulu Natal, uNkosikhona Mhlakwana, yintshatsheli entsha yowona mdyarho othandwayo eMpuma Koloni – iHeroes Marathon.
UMhlakwana ngomnye weembaleki ezithe zazimasa iHeroes Marathon eqale kwisikhululo seenqwelo-moya eMthatha yayokuqhina eQunu – ilali awazalelwa kuyo owayengumongameli eMzantsi Afrika ugqirha uNelson Rholihlahla Mandela.
Lo mdyarho ubakho kanye ngonyaka njengendlela yokukhumbula indima eyadlalwa nguDalibhunga kwinkululeko yoMzantsi Afrika.
UMhlakwana, 24, wongeza inani leentshatsheli eziveliswe ngulo mdyarho omkhulu kweli phondo.
Ngo-2014, le ndedeba yazama okokuqala ukuphumelela iHeroes. Izinto zange ziyihambele kakuhle – kodwa yayifumana indawo yeshumi elinesihlanu. Kwityeli lesibini ize izilungiselele, yiyo lo nto uMhlakwana egoduke eyiphethe ngesandla intshinga.
Yinto enkulu kakhulu le kwimbaleki esakhulayo njengoMhlakwana onekamva eliqaqambileyo kwicandelo leembaleki ukuba akayitshintshi indlela azimisele ngayo.
Le mbaleki ikuvuyele kakhulu ukuphumelela iHeroes Marathon kwaye ithe ikonwabele ukubaleka kuyo.
UMhlakwana uphumelele iDeloitte Marathon, iMaritzburg, iStella Marathon neminye imidyarho.
“Kundichulumancisa kakhulu ukuba yinxalenye yomdyarho omkhulu kangaka eMzantsi Afrika. Ngoku lo mdyarho uyakwazi ukuqokelela iimbaleki ezifuna indlela yokungena kwiComrades Marathon – into eqalayo ukwenzeka kweli phondo leMpuma Koloni.
“Amalungiselelo wam ahambe kakuhle phantsi koqeqesho lwendoda eyaziwayo egama linguProdical Khumalo. Ndizilolonge iinyanga ezintathu phambi kokuza kwiHeroes Marathon. Lo nto yenziwe kukuba bendingakwazi ukuziqeqesha yonke imihla ngenxa yeemviwo zokuphela konyaka ebezindixinile.
“Into endiyijongileyo ngoku kukungena kwimidyarho ephambili apha eMzantsi Afrika. Owokuqala uzakube usekuqaleni konyaka – kodwa oko akukaqinisekiswa yi-ASA ngaphaya eThekwini,” utshilo uMhlakwana.
Obambe indawo yokuqala koomama nguChelitu Bogale Asefa waseTopiya, walandelwa nguLineo Chaka kwi-42km.
ABafana Bafana bayingombe yanaba iCongo Brazzaville, eGqeberha!