“KUNGISIZILE ukujoveka ngingapheli amandla ngiqhubeke nokugijima iComrades Marathon. Indaba ezimnandi ezijabulisayo, ukumela izwe akusiyona into encane.”
Lawa ngamazwi kaFikile Mbuthuma oboshelwe eqenjini labesifazane elizoyomela iNingizimu Afrika kwi-100km World Championships eseSveti, eCroatia ngoSepthemba 8.
“Ukuya kwami phesheya kwezilwandle yithuba eliyingqayizivele. Kuyaqala ukuthi kuhanjiswe abesifazane, sijabule ukuthi nathi basiveze emehlweni omhlaba. Bengingalindele ngenxa yokuthi bengingekho kubagijimi abahlanu baseNingizimu Afrika abangene kuqala. Ngimxoxela ubaba nodadewethu, bajabule kabi. Kuyisibusiso esikhulu,” kusho uMbuthuma obezwakala ukuthi ugajwe yinjabulo.
“Ukuyohlangana nezingqwele zakwamanye amazwe kuzosiza ekutheni ngihlome ngolwazi olusha engizimisele ukuthi ngilucobelele ozakwethu engigijima nabo kwiNedbank uma sengibuyile.
Le ntokazi yaKwaMachi, eHarding iqale ukugijima iComrades Marathon ngo-2005 isayibamba kwiMr Price, yaqhubeka lapho yayojoyina iHarmony Gold egwinye iNetbank Running ngo-2008.
Kuze kube manje usegijime amaComrades angu-12. Unendondo yegolide eyodwa ayithole ngo 2016 engene endaweni yesishiyagalombili.
Abanye besifazane aqokwe nabo kube ngoSalome Cooper onezindondo ezimbili zegolide, uDeanne Horn noLisa Collet.
Ezwa lezi zindaba umngani wakhe abagijima naye iComrades uNontuthuko Mashimane uthe, “Ukuqokwa kwakhe kuwubufakazi bokuthi uma uzinikele impumelelo iyohlale ikhona. Kunika ithemba, kuzokwazi ukukhuthaza abesifazane abazolandela ukuthi baphokopheke ukukhula ekugijimeni. Ukumela izwe kuyinto enkulu kabi, akusiyona into kanoma ubani. Kufana nokuthi usewinile,”
Umpetha weComrades odabuka eHowick, u-Ann Ashworth, akayingenanga eyokuboshelwa kuleli qembu ngoba ekhalela ukungasekwa kwabagijimi bamabanga amade yi-Athletics South Africa.
Kwabesilisa elakuleli lizomelwa uBongmusa Mthembu ongene emlandweni enqoba iComrades Marathon iminyaka ilandelana.
UMthembu odabuka eMbhulelweni e-Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal uzobe ebhekiwe ukuthi azibambe ziqine njengoba enza eLos Alcazares, eSpain ngo-2016.
UMthembu wazifaka emlandweni eqopha u6:24:05 okuyisikhathi esingcono kunesake saqoshwa nguBruce Fordyce.
Azoyibamba nabo ngomakadebona beComrades Marathon, uLudwick Mamabolo noClaude Moshiywa.
Umengameli we-Athletics South Africa u-Aleck Skhosana ubongele abagijimi ngokuqokwa kwabo wathi babhekene nomqansa wokuthi babhincisela nxanye abagijimi bomhlaba. "Ukuboshelwa kwabesifazane kuyaqala kwazise ngokwedlule sakwazi ukuhambisa iqembu labesilisa elizobe lilwela ukuvikela isicoco salo sokungena belandelana. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abesifazane bazobe bebabele ukubeka induku ebandla," kusho uSkhosana.