UKHISHIWE KWESE-KZNA UMATHANGA
UMBULELI Mathanga (osesithombeni), uhoxisiwe eqenjini leKwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) eliya kwi-Athletics South Africa (ASA) Half Marathon ezokuba ngomhla ka-4 kwezokwethwasa eGqeberha, e-Eastern Cape.
Inhloso yokuhoxiswa kwalo msubathi wukumsiza ukuba agxile kahle ekucijeleni i-African Track & Field Championships ezokuba ngomhla ka-8 kuya ku-14 kuNhlangulana (June), eMauritius.
UMathanga ungomunye wabasubathi abebebhekwe ngabomvu ukwenza kahle kwi-ASA Half Marathon ngenxa yokuba sefomini enhle kwakhe kulezi zinsuku.
Lo msubathi uqale ukuvelela kwezokugijima eNingizimu Afrika ngo-2019, kodwa amagalelo akhe agqitshwa wukubheduka kweCovid-19. Ukungabi yingxenye kweqembu leKZNA kukaMathanga, kuqinisekiswe ngumqeqeshi wakhe, uMdu Khumalo.
“Kuyiqiniso ukuthi uMathanga ngeke abeyingxenye yeKZNA eya kwiSA Half Marathon. Sihlele ukuba aye kwi-track & field eMauritius ukuze abhekane nezingwazi zase-Afrika.
"Sekukaningi lo msubathi eqokelwa eqenjini lesizwe agcine engahambanga. Ube nebhadi ifomu yafika ngesikhathi seCovid-19.
“Kuningi asekuzuzele isifundazwe, manje sekufanele azibonakalise uma esebhekene nabasubathi base-Afrika.
"Lo mjaho uzomsiza kakhulu ukuzibona ukuthi ukuliphi izinga.
"Ngifuna aye kuwona eqatha ngokwanele kungekho mjaho abuya kuwona.
"Nginethemba lokuthi uzokwazi ukwenza ngcono isikhathi sakhe esiwu-28:03 kwi-10 000m,” kusho uKhumalo.
Lo msubathi ungene eqenjini lesifundazwe emuva kokwenza kahle kwi-track & field yakamuva eCape Town.
Unqoba eCape Town nje, nanyakenye wenza okufanayo edla ubhedu kwi-10 000m nakwi-5000m ngokwehlukana.
Kulo mjaho waseGqeberha, iKZNA ithumele abasubathi abawu-8 kanti phakathi kwabo kukhona uJenet Mbhele ozokube ehambisana nozakwabo kwiXcel, uZinhle Shabalala.
Kwabesilisa iKZNA izogadla ngoSiyabonga Nkonde, uBonginkosi Zwane - okubhekwe ukuba baphakamise ifulegi lesifundazwe.
Selilonke iqembu lesifundazwe eliya kwi-ASA Half Marathon Championships lididiyelwe kanje: UJenet Mbhele, uZinhle Shabalala, uJannie Grundling, u-Adam Lipschitz, uSiyabonga Nkonde, uTshiamo Maribe, uPakiso Mthembu noBonginkosi Zwane.