Isilonda koweDusi ngabamnyama kuma-Olympic Games nakwiK1
UMGWEDLI waseNingizimu Afrika ophume isithathu kwiFNB Dusi Canoe Marathon nonyaka, uThulani Mbanjwa, unesilonda akholwa wukuthi siyophola mhla umgwedli omnyama wakuleli wamela izwe kumaOlympic Games.
UMbanjwa uthi nakuba leli kuyiphupho kodwa uyoqala ukubona ukuthi lizofezeka mhla omnyama wakuleli wakwazi ukunqoba isicoco se-K1 kwiDusi njengoba engekho omnyama wakuleli oseke wanqoba lo mqhudelwano ehamba yedwa.
Kuze kube ngcono ku-K2, njengoba sebekhona abamnyama abanqobile bebambisene nabamhlophe.
UMbanjwa uphume isithathu kwiDusi ngoMgqibelo. Kunqobe u-Andy Birkett walandelwa uSiboniso Khwela. Kwabesifazane kunqobe uChristie Mackenzie, olandelwe uTamika Haw isithathu kwaba u-Amy Packett.
UMbanjwa utshele Isolezwe ngemuva kwalo mqhudelwano wezinsuku ezintathu ukuthi njengoba eseyisikhulu esiphezulu kwiKZN Canoe Union unenqwaba yabanekhono asebabonile kubadlali abamnyama akholwa wukuthi izogila izimanga eminyakeni ezayo.
“Ngiphethe izinkulisa zaKwaZuluNatal eziyisikhombisa. Kungumsebenzi wami ukuthi ngihlwaye ithalente elisha, elizokwenza lokhu okubukeka kusihlula. Kumanje nje nginenqwaba yabadlali abamnyama engingababala kuphele usuku engikholwa wukuthi banekusasa elihle kulo mdlalo. Empeleni uma uthi uyabheka kubagwedli abayishumi abaphume phambili kunabangaphansi kweminyaka engu-23 abamnyama, abenze into encomekayo,” kubeka uMbanjwa obephucuke amahlombe ngenxa yokugwedla izinsuku ezintathu.
Eqhubeka uMbanjwa uthe iyamkhathaza eyokuthi namanje abamnyama bakuleli abakasinqobi isicoco seDusi futhi akekho osamele elakuleli kuma-Olympic.
“Ngiyafisa ukuthi sibe nomgwedli omnyama ozoya kosimela phesheya kwezilwandle kumaWorld Marathons. Okungaba kukhulu kumina wukuthi sibe nomuntu omnyama nje ozosimela kumaOlympic Games ngoba akukaze kwenzeke. Yebo bakhona abamhlophe abasimelile kodwa akekho omnyama osenze lokho. Angisayiphathi eyokudla isicoco seDusi kwiK1, lokho akwehli kahle neze kumina. Ngiyathemba nokho ukuthi uzoba khona omnyama ozoyithatha kule minyama emihlanu ezayo,” kusho uMbanjwa.