Umpetha weDurban International ufuna ukuyibamba kwiComrades ngonyaka ozayo

UMGIJIMI waseKenya uKiprotich Felix Kirui odle umhlanganiso kwiDurban International Marathon ebangeni lika-42.2km, ufunga uyagomela ukuthi ngonyaka ozayo ufuna ukubuya  azoyibamba kwiComrades Marathon.

UKirui udle umhlanganiso ngesikhathi esingu-2:10:45 eshiya uGodwin Katakura waseZimbabwe olale isibili ngo-2:11:02, isithathu kwaba uBlessing Waison naye waseZimbabwe ngo-2:11:51.

Kwabesifazane kuphume phambili u-Emane Seifu Hayile wase-Ethiopia ngesikhathi esingu-2:31:45, isibili kwaba u-Alinas Armas waseNamibia ngo-2:32:34, isithathu kwaba uFortunate Chidzivo waseZimbabwe ngo-2:33:30.

“Yize ngiyihlonipha iComrades Marathon engeminye yemijaho emide emhlabeni, kodwa nginesifiso esikhulu sokuwugijima. 

Yize sengigijime imijaho eminingana yase-Afrika nase-Europe, kodwa ukugijma kwami kulo mjaho weDurban International Marathon kunginikile isithombe ngengingase ngikulindele kwiComrades Marathon uma sekwenzeka ngiyigijima ngoba igijinyelwa khona lapha eThekwini (naseMgungundlovu). 

Angikholwa wukuthi ngingathwala kanzima kangako kwiComrades ngenxa yesipiliyoni esenginaso emijahweni yamabanga amade.

Ngakho uma kungekho okuzongiphazamisa, nakanjani ngonyaka ozayo ngiyobuya ngizoyibamba kwiComrades,” kusho uKirui, ogabe ngesikhathi sika-2:05:33 ku-42km asiqopha ngo-2019.

Ukukhombisa ukuzethemba kwalo mgijimi waseKenya akumangazi kwazise abakhaya bakhe baseKenya abagayelwa mphako emijahweni eminingi yamabanga amade.

Kumanje yibona abakhonyayo emijahweni emikhulu ehlonishwayo emhlabeni okubalwa kuyo iBoston Marathon, New York City Marathon, London Marathon, neTokyo Marathon.

Kwi-Tokyo Marathon yaseJapan yebanga lika-42.2km osekukhonye kuyo abaseKenya kule minyaka edlule, irekhodi layo lika-2:02:16 liphethwe ngumgijimi waseKenya, uBenson Kipruto aliqophe nyakenye. 

Ngesifanayo nakwiLondon Marathon yase-England yebanga lika-42.2km njengoba nakhona irekhodi layo lika-2:01:25 liphethwe uKelvin Kiptum waseKenya aliqophe ngo-2023. 

Ngokunjalo nerekhodi lika-2:03:02 leBoston Marathon yakhona e-England yebanga elifanayo (42.2km) lisaphethwe ngumgijimi wakhona eKenya, uGeoffrey Mutai aliqopha ngo-2011, kanti neyanonyaka inqotshwe nguye owaseKenya uJohn Korir. 

Nakuba kunjalo akekho umgijimi waseKenya oseke wanqoba iComrades Marathon emlandweni walo mjaho.

IComrades yanonyaka yebanga lika-89.98km izogijinywa ngoJuni 8 kwehliwa kusukwa eMgungundlovu kubhekwe eThekwini.

Nyakenye umhlanganiso udliwe nguPiet Wiersma waseNertherlands ngesikhathi esingu-5:25:00.