
Ngu Thathe Msimango
Imbaleki yebango elide yelizwe loMzantsi Afrika, esele iphumelele imbasa zobuntshatsheli ku zwelonke amatyeli ohlukeneyo uStephen Mokoka ukholelwa ukuba kukhulu ekusazokwenziwa yimilenze yakhe, kuba ufuna ukubaleke ngesona santya siphezulu.
Lembaleki ineminyaka engamashumi amathathu anesibhozo yaseMahikeng, kwiphondo loMntla Ntshona, yabaleka ngokuzimisela kumdyarho weLake Biwa Marathon eJapan, apho wagqiba kwindawo yesihlanu ngeeyure ezimbini, imizuzu emithandathu kunye nemizuzwana engamashumi amane anesibini (2:06:42).
Waphanza nje ngemizuzwana elithoba ukuba afikelele kwixesha elenziwa nguGert Thys leyure ezimbini, imizuzu emithandathu nemizuzwana engamashumi amathathu anesithathu ekulixesha awaphumelela ngalo ngonyaka ka1999.
UMokoka, osele ephumelele umdyarho iShanghai Marathon amatyeli amane uthe eyonanto ihamba phambile kwimpumelelo yakhe kukuzinikela okumandla kuqeqesho lwakhe.
“Eyonanto ingamandla kwimpumelelo yam kukuzinikela, ndityale lonke ixesha lam kuqeqesho endilwenzayo. Ndikholelwa ukuba ukuze uphumelele ebomini kufuneka uziqeqeshe nzima, kuba akukho nto iza lula ebomini,” igxininise yenjenjalo lembaleki yayisaya kuba yintshatsheli yehlabathi kumgama wekhilomitha ezingamashumi amahlanu.
“Ndicinga ukuba imbaleki ezisakhasayo kweli kufuneka zityale ixesha lazo kuqeqesho. Awukwazi kupapasha amaxesha obumnandi ungakhange usebenze nzima. Ndinethemba lokuba indlela endizakubaleka ngayo izakubakhuthaza bakholwe ukuba akukhonto ingenzekiyo ebomini.”
Uninzi luthi iminyaka iyaqalisa ukuphikisana noMokoka, kodwa yena uneengcinga ezohlukileyo.
“Yonke into ihamba namava. Ndiyayazi ukuba iminyaka ihambile, kodwa ndicinga ukuba ndisenako ukukhuphisana kumaqondo aphezulu,” itshilo lembaleki sele iphumelele amatyeli amathathu umdyarho waseKapa.
“Ezemidlalo zifuna umntu alawuleke, kwaye izinto ezintle zizakuku landela. Andikhathazekanga yiminyaka yam kwaye ndisaceba ukuba ndibaleke ngesantya esingaphezulu kunoku. Ndiyazazi ndingakwazi ukukwenza oku,” utshilo.
UMokoka uqeqeshwa ngumqeqeshi odumileyo uMicheal Seme.
Umfanekiso ongasentla: NguStephen Mokoka
Imvelaphi yomfanekiso: Uthunyelwe