UMzantsi Afrika unethemba leembasa kwiWorld Athletics Championships!
Iqela leembaleki eziphambili eMzantsi Afrika lintingele eBudapest, eHungary, apho iimbaleki zehlabathi lonke eziza kukhuphisana khona kwenye yeetumente zeembaleki ezinkulu ehlabathini iWorld Athletics Championships eza kuqala ngomhla weshumi elinethoba ukuya kumhla wamashumi amabini anesixhenxe. Umqeqeshi ophokeleyo waseMpuma Koloni, uMichael Mbambani, unikwe uxanduva lokukhokela iqela loMzantsi Afrika kulo nyaka. Phakathi kweembaleki ahambe nazo uMbambani kukho uMelikhaya France noLuxolo Adams abaphuma bonke kwiEastern Province Athletics Club. Iimbaleki zoMzantsi Afrika ziya kwiWorld Champs ziphantsi koxinezelelo kulo nyaka ngoba awuzange ufumane nale inye imbasa amatyeli amabini kwiWorld Athletics Champs. Lihlazo elo elifuna ukususwa nguMbambani neembaleki ahambe nazo.
Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo, ngumsebenzi onzima lowo osemagxeni womqeqeshi – kodwa okuhle ngaye uMbambani kukuba uyayazi into ayenzayo. Ngethemba lokuba iimbaleki ziza kuwenza umsebenzi ngokukhulu ukuzimisela. Olisekela likaMongameli we’Athletics South Africa (ASA), uShireen Noble, uvakalise ukulithemba iqela eliza kumela uMzantsi Afrika watsho esithi banethemba lokuba azizukubuya neembasa ezingaphantsi kwesihlanu. Zizonke iimbaleki ezithunyelwe eHungary (nguMzantsi Afrika) zingamashumi amathathu anesithandathu (36) ngaphandle kwabaqeqeshi, oogqirha nabaphathi beqela. “Sonelisekile yindlela ekulungiselelwe ngayo. Abantu abakhokele iqela lethu ngabantu abaziwayo nababe negalelo elibonakalayo kwezemidlalo ngokubanzi.
“Sinethemba lokuba iimbaleki zethu ziza kusiphathela iimbasa ezingekho ngaphantsi kwezintlanu,” utshilo uNoble. Phakathii kwabantu abahambe neqela nguJean Verster - olilungu lesigqeba esilawula iAthletics SA – ovakalise ithemba lokuhle kulo unyaka. “Ewe, sineqela elisakhiwayo futhi elikhulayo. Iingqondo zethu sizibeke emsebenzini esifuna ukuwenza ngoba sifuna kubekho impucuko kwindlela esiqhuba ngayo. Sinika iimbaleki zethu amathuba sinethemba lokuba siza kwenza umsebenzi oncomekayo. Iimbaleki zethu ezisakhulayo kufuneka sizincede ziye phambili kule tumente ukuze zifumane amava,” utshilo uVerster. UMzantsi Afrika uhambe kwangoko ukuze iimbaleki zikwazi ukuqhela isimo sezulu saseHungary phambi kokuqala kwetumente ngoMgqibelo.