LUNGILE MAJOKA
UFAKE ingcindezi kwabanye abagijimi abasazimisele ngokuzibekisela indawo eqenjini lama-Olympic, uLusapho April onqobe umjaho wakhe wesithathu weHannover Marathon, eGermany izolo ekuseni.
U-April ubeye kulo mjaho inhloso yakhe enkulu kuwukushaya isikhathi esihle esizomfaka eqenjini lakuleli elizoya kuma-Olympic azokuba seRio de Janeiro, eBrazil kusukela ngo-Agasti 5.
Izolo, u-April, ugqashule intambo ngo-2:11:27 okuyisikhathi esihle, esimbeke kubagijimi abathathu abasethubeni lokumela iNingizimu Afrika eBrazil. Ngokwenza kahle kwakhe uzifake ohlwini oseluvele lunoSibusiso Nzima (2:11:42), noLungile Gongqa (2:11:59).
Isikhathi esibekiwe emhlabeni sokuzibekisela indawo kuma-Olympic u-2:19:00 kodwa ngokweSouth African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) kuleli kuzoqokwa abagijimi abathathu okuyibona abanezikhathi ezisheshayo ukuthi bayomela izwe. U-April ngowokuqala ukunqoba iHannover Marathon kathathu, useke wagijima kuma-Olympic njengoba wayekhona eLondon, e-England ngo-2012 lapho wagcina eqede endaweni ka-43 kulandela ukuwa phakathi nomjaho.
Isikhathi asishayile sifakele ingcindezi abanye abagijimi abasazimisele ngokuthi baqokwe eqenjini leNingizimu Afrika, okukhona phakathi kwabo inkakha uHendrick Ramaala.
URamaala (44) oseye emidlalweni emine yama-Olympic uzimisele ngokugudluza oyedwa phakathi kwalaba bagijimi njengoba naye ezofuna ukushaya isikhathi esihle uma esegijima kuHamburg Marathon, eGermany ngeSonto.
Useke wazama ukuzibekisela indawo egijima eKapa nyakenye nakuMumbai Marathon ngoJanuwari, washaya isikhathi esingu-2:17:12 no-2:33:38 esiphansi kakhulu ngokwezinga uma eqhathaniswa nezimbangi zakhe. Lokhu kusho ukuthi lo mgijimi owazakhela igama enqoba iNew York Marathon ngo-2004, kuzofanele ashaye isikhathi esingaphansi kwesikaGongqa uma ezimisele ngokuya eBrazil.