I NKAKHA eyanqoba kuma-Olympic ngo-1996 e-Atlanta, uJosia Thugwane, ibona bezothwala kanzima abasubathi beMarathon, eRio de Jeneiro, eBrazil, kusukela ngo-Agasti 5 kuya ku-Agasti 21.
INingizimu Afrika izomelwa abasubathi abayisithupha kulo mjaho, abathathu besilisa okuzobe kukhona kubo uLusapho April, Lungile Gongqa noSibusiso Nzima. Kwabesifazane kuzobe kukhona uLebo Phalula, Ivertte van Zyl, noChristine Kalmer.
UThugwane uthe yize ekholelwa ukuthi abagijimi baseNingizimu Afrika banalo ithalente kodwa imijaho yaphesheya iya ngokuba nzima kwazise abagijimi bashaya izikhathi ezisheshayo.
“Kuma-Olympic kusuke kuboshelwe osondonzima kwezamabanga amade. Abagijimi abasuke belapha bagijima imijaho yaphesheya kuphela nokwenza kube lula ukugijima endaweni engenawo umqansa. Thina eNingizimu Afrika sijwayele izintaba nokuba nzima ukuthi sigijime emjahweni ongenawo amagquma,” kusho uThugwana.
Uthe: “Yize umjaho uzoba nzima kubagijimi esibathumele kodwa umgijimi onesipiliyoni sokusubatha phesheya njengoLusapho April nosekutshengisile ukuthi usezingeni lomhlaba enza kahle emijahweni yaphesheya, kuye singalindela ukuthi enze kahle. Uma kuwusuku lwakhe angasibuyela nendondo. Kodwa kwabanye ngeke ngisho okufanayo ngoba imijaho yaphesheya akuyona into asebeyijwayele. Enye into ukuthi izikhathi zamanje ziyashesha. Uma ungabheka isikhathi enganqoba ngaso (2:12;36) nesikhathi okunqotshwe ngaso ngo-2012 uzobona ukuthi siyashesha esakamuva.”
Ngo-2012 kwanqoba uStephen Kiprotict wase-Uganda eqopha isikhathi esingu-( 2:08;01).
U-April kuzoba okwesibili emele iNingizimu Afrika kuma-Olympic njengoba wayekhona nango-2012. Lo mgijimi ubeke isitembu ukuthi ungumgijimi isezingeni lomhlaba ngesikhathi ephuma endaweni yesithathu kuNew York Marathon ngo-2013.
Le nkakha iqhube yathi uma iNingizimu Afrika ifisa ukuphinde ibone umgijimi weMarathon enqoba kumele ibakhulise ngendlela abagijimi.
Uthe: “Ziningi izindlela zokukhulisa umgijimi. Kumele aqale kutrack and field, enze i- cross country bese eyaqala ngo-5km. Kuyothi uma eseqala kuMarathon abe esekulungele ukwenza lokhu. Into ebulala abagijimi ukuthi beqa izigaba."