UNdaba uthi konke sekumi ngononina ngomjaho oKhahlamba
Izinga lizoba phezulu kumjaho iDrakensberg Marathon yakulo nyaka ngokusho kukaSipho Ndaba ongumhleli wawo.
Eminyakeni edlule lo mjaho ubuwaziwa ngokuthi iJosiah Gumede Marathon. Uzokuba kusasa ngoMgqibelo eBergville ngaphansi kukaMasipala uKhahlamba libumbene ihora lesihlanu ekuseni, wonke amabanga azosukela eBergville Sport Centre.
Kukhona elika-42,2km elika-21km nelika-10km.
“Lo mjaho ugijimile kuleminyaka emibili edlule ngaphansi kwemigomo kaHulumeni kwazise bekunokhuvethe, ngalokho besiba nabasubathi abangama-500. Njengoba izinto sezivuliwe nje silindele abasubathi abayizinkulungwane ezinhlanu (5000).
“Ngingasho ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi nonyaka uzoheha inqwaba yabagijimi balapha eNingizimu Afrika nakumazwe angaphandle okuyiSwaziland naseMozambique,” kusho uNdaba.
IDrakensberg Marathon izosetshenziswa ukuzibekisela indawo kwiTwo Oceans Marathon neComrades Marathon.
“Ukhuvethe lusifundise lukhulu ngokuthi ezokuvakasha zilele isibili ngemuva kwezokumbiwa phansi uma kukhulunywa ngomnotho waseNingizimu Afrika. Sibe sesibuka ukuthi lo mjaho singawukhulisa kanjani ngoba sifuna ukuheha abagijimi bangaphandle. Sabuka ukuthi sesiwenzile umsebenzi ngokuthi igama likababa uJosiah Gumede laziwe. Kodwa manje sesifuna ukuthi lo mjaho unyukele ezingeni eliphezulu. Sathi asisebenzise igama elithi yiDrakensberg Marathon ngoba iDrakensberg yaziwa umhlaba wonke,” kusho uNdaba.
Lo mjaho nyakenye ebangeni lika-42km kwabesilisa wanqontshwa uThokozani Mbambo we-Xcel Running Club (02:27:18), walandelwa uMalibongwe Dlamini wePhantane (02:27:40) kwaba uMalekase Lefatsa (02:36:04) ongenaqembu. Kwabesifazane khona kwanqoba u-Euniece Nhlapho we-Eskom AC (03:16:32), uLee-Anne Morris (03:36:34) noNokuthula Ntshangase we-Xcel Running Club (03:40:49).
Ebangeni lika-21km kwanqoba uBonginkosi Zwane wePhantane AC (01:07:19), kwabesifazane uZinhle Shabalala we-Xcel Running Club (01:19:47). Kwathi ebangeni lika-10km uSiyabonga Ndlovu waMaRavens (00:38:28) kwabesifazane kwaba uBathobile Mkhize we-Xcel Running Club (00:37:00).
Okunye okushintshile ukuthi okunguye ozodla umhlanganiso kubona bobubili ubulili uzogoduka nezinkulungwane ezingama-R20, nyakenye ubegoduka nezinkulungwane ezili-R15.
UMandla Mngomezulu oyimenenja ye-Xcel Running Club okuyiqembu elineminyaka emibili likhona kodwa ligila izimanga, uthe nakulonyaka bazophinde benze kahle kulo mjaho.
“Sibophele kakhulu, sithe asithumele abasubathi abaningana kulo mjaho. Lokhu esikwenzile nyakenye sikhonya kwabesilisa nabesifazane sizokuphinda, lokho into engingayingabazi. Baziqeqeshe kahle abasubathi bethu futhi benze kahle nasemqhudelwaneni edlule,” kusho uMngomezulu ophinde abe isekelaMengameli kwiKZN Athletics.
Ebangeni lika-42km iXcel Running Club ibophele u-Aubrey Nzuza, u-Ayanda Ngcobo, uLindo Sithole, uSiyabonga Nkonde, uJoshua Mabunda, uMandisa Kubheka noMenzi Mtolo. Kwelika-21km uMthokozisi Mazibuko, uJanet Mbhele, uNdumiso Sokhela, uLungelo Khumalo noSipho Nkosi kuthi ku-10km kube uSibonelo Khumalo, uBathabile noBonang Mohase.
