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SIFISO BANKS E50 000 FROM IMBUBE MARATHON

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image Winner of the Imbube 42km Marathon Sifiso Sibandze of Golden Foot Club is hoisted sky high after crossing the finish line. He bagged E25 000 for being the winner and another E25 000 for being the first Swazi home. (Pics: Sabelo Gwebu)

(At Prince of Wales Ground)

MBABANE – His name means a wish. Unemployed Sifiso Sibandze might have surely wished for the athletics gods to smile at him and fortunately they did as he can heave a sigh of relief thanks to the Swaziland National Provident Fund (SNPF).


In just 2:37:19 hours, the time it took him to complete 42.2km of running, Sibandze walked away E50 000 richer.


The Golden Foot Club runner defied all odds to win the Imbube Marathon yesterday. He pocketed E25 000 for being the winner and another E25 000 for being the first Swazi athlete to cross the finish line.
It was joy for the father of two boys immediately after crossing the finish line at the Prince of Wales Ground and he was hoisted sky high by jubilant locals who were visibly happy the main prize remained at home.
Actually, the locals were fired up for this particular race powered by SNPF, which carried up to half a million Emalangeni in prize monies as they occupied the first four places of the main race. Notably, in the first part of the race, Sibandze was nowhere near the leading pack.   


In-fact, eventual fourth place occupant Thulani Ngubani of Royal Swaziland Police (RSP) looked like he was going home with the cake as he led the race from the start at Mavuso Sports Centre in Manzini before fading 15 kilometres before the finish point. Notably, the seven-kilometre Malagwane Hill could have proved a daunting task for Ngubani, who used all his energy earlier, shooting to the lead, running half the race in just 53 minutes. It proved costly.  
Amos Tfwala of Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force (USDF) settled for second place, a minute later than Sibandze. In third was Wandile Nxumalo from newly-established TZD Athletics Club. 


Sibandze dedicated his achievement to hard and committed training. He said he did a lot of hill training. On the big cheque, he said he was undecided on how to spend it.
“The money came at a time when I needed it so dearly. I’m unemployed and have two kids to support. I will have to see how we make ends meet as a family and live a better life,” he said.

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