LUNGILE MAJOKA
A KUSEKHO ukujikela emva kwendlu ezinkumbini zabagijimi ezibalelwa ngaphezulu kuka-19 000 ezizogijima iComrades Marathon yalo nyaka njengoba sekubalwa amahora ngaphambi kokuthi basuke enkabeni yeTheku eCity Hall kubhekwe eMgungundlovu.
Umjaho ka-90 weComrades ungeSonto uzoqala ngo-5.30 ekuseni. Abagijimi banamahora angu-12 ukuqeda ibanga elingu-87.72km elizobe lidle ngamagquma akhamana inkani kubhekwe phezulu.
Umgijimi ozonqoba uzohlomula ngo-R375 000 kanti ozophula irekhodi uzogixatshezwa ngo-R1.5 million ngaphezulu. Irekhodi elinyukayo kwabesilisa labekwa uLeonid Shvetsov waseRussia ngo-2008, lingu-5:24:49. Elabesifazane elika-Elena Nurgalieva waseRussia lango-2006 elingu-6:09:23.
Lo mjaho awufani neminye, ngaphandle kokuthi kusuke kubhekiwe kubagijimi abaphezulu ukuthi yimuphi ozozihola phambili sekugqashulwa umaliyethe kodwa nabangama-amesha basuke benethuba lokuzihlola ukuthi baqine kangakanani ngokomzimba nangokomqondo, baphinde bakhombise ukuthi bangakwazi yini ukubhekana nezinselelo nezingqinamba zempilo.
Abagijimi abasezingeni elikhokhelayo bakutshela ngokubaluleka kokwenza izikhathi ezingcono uma bengenela imijaho, okusho ukujaha amarekhodi kanti labo abangaziphilisi ngokugijima baqhamuka nezindatshana ezahlukene ezibagqugquzelayo ukuthi bangenele umjalo.
Abanye bakutshela ukuthi benzela izinja namakati abo osekwafa noma okugulayo, okuyindlela yokukukhumbula. Kukhona abakwenzela ukukhumbula izihlobo zabo. Abanye bathi banothando nentshisekelo yokugijima, osekufana nesiko ukuba kuComrades.
Inkakha yeComrades, uBruce Fordyce ithe kunzima ukusho ukuthi kungaba ubani ozophuma phambili emjahweni walo nyaka. UFordyce wanqoba iComrades izikhathi eziyisishiyagalolunye, wakwenza kasishiyagalombili kulandelana ngo-1981-1988, wasiphinda isicoco ngo-1990.
“Kunzima ukusho ukuthi ngubani ozowina ngoba kungenzeka ngimshiye ngaphandle kulabo engizobabala. Kungabhekwa kumpetha wanyakenye uBongmusa Mthembu, Claude Moshiywa, Ludwick Mamabolo, Stephen Muzhingi. Kukhona amawele u-Elena no-Olesya. Abazange bagijime kuTwo Oceans, okusho ukuthi bazofika beyimiqemane. Kungalindelwa ukuthi nompetha walo nyaka (weTwo Oceans) uCaroline Wostmann engihlezi ngimbona edlula ngakwami eziqeqesha, ekwabaphambili kanjalo no-Eleanor Greenwood onqobe nyakenye,” kusho uFordyce kuSports @ 10 ku-SABC1.
n Abagijimi ababhekiwe ngokwezikhathi nezindawo asebeke bazibeka kulo mjaho:
Abesilisa:
1. Claude Moshiywa
2. Ludwick Mamabolo
3 Stephen Muzhingi
4. Gift Kelehe
5. Mncedisi Mkhize
6. Mthandazo Qhina
7. Evgenii Glyva
8. Marco Mambo
9. Teboho Sello
10. Prodigal Khumalo
Abesifazane:
1. Elena Nurgalieva
2. Olesya Nurgalieva
3. Eleanor Greenwood
4. Irina Antropova
5. Marina Zhalybina
6. Jo Meek
7. Salome Cooper
8. Julian Basson
9. Fikile Mbhuthuma
10. Precious Duma