EMINYAKENI edlule uFikile Mbuthuma nguyena obelokhu emele igama labagijimi besifazane abamnyama abenza kahle kwiComrades Marathon kodwa kulokhu kungenzeka kube usethole ozomlekelela endleleni yakhe ebheke ekuqedeni umjaho walo nyaka.
Yize uNtombesintu Mfunzi ezobe eqala ukugijima iComrades kodwa imenenja yabagijimi beNedbank Running Club, uNick Bester, iyamethemba ukuthi angayimela indlu emnyama.
Umjaho walo nyaka uyenyuka. NgeSonto ngo-5.30 ekuseni kuzosukwa eCity Hall eThekwini kuyoqedwa eScottsville Racecourse, eMgugundlovu. IComrades ngeminye yemijaho ethathwa njengemikhulu emhlabeni ngenxa yebanga layo. Kulokhu ibanga lilinganiselwa ku-87km.
“UNtombi ujwayele ukuyibamba kwiTwo Oceans, uyaqala ukugijima kwiComrades. Uke waya kogijima phesheya kodwa wangenza kahle ngenxa yokuthi ubebanjwe wumkhuhlane. Manje usewumqemane ngeke ngimangale uma engalithola igolide yize eqala,” kusho uBester.
UMfunzi odabuka ePort Elizabeth unamagolide amane eTwo Oceans njengoba eseqede kabili endaweni yesishiyagalombili, isendaweni yesihlanu neyeshumi nyakenye.
UMbuthuma yena useqede imijaho ewu-12 yeComrades, waqoqa amasiliva amane negolide elilodwa. Nyakenye kwehliwa waqeda endaweni ka-12.
“Ubelimele kulokhu ngakho ngeke ngithi usesimeni esihle kodwa kungenzeka angimangaze athole noma yisiliva. Yena ungumgijimi omuhle uma kwehliwa,” kusho uBester.
Le menenja iyalethemba iqembu elibophele labesifazane kulokhu. Umpetha weTwo Oceans, uGerda Steyn obeziqeqesha eFrance, kubhekwe ukuthi awunqobe umjaho. Le ntokazi iqede endaweni yesibili nyakanye ngemuva kuka-Ann Ashworth.
Ethimbeni leNedbank kukhona nompetha weComrades ka-2017 uCamille Horn wase-USA. Kungenzeka ukuthi uBester ufihla induku emqubeni uma ethi akanalo ulwazi ngesimo salo mgijimi.
“Anginaso isiqiniseko sokuthi isimo sakhe somzimba simi kanjani. Engikwaziyo wukuthi naye sinesivumelwano sokuthi ingabikhona imijaho ayithathayo uma sekusondele iComrades,” kusho uBester.