Kuthethe iminyaka engamatshumi amabili lantathu ukuba obethethe imbali eyokuba nguye umuntu oweqa wafika ebangeni eliphezulu kwele Zimbabwe uJuma Phiri agenqulwe.
UJuma Phiri ubeyingqwele yabadlali bomdlalo wokweqa ngomnyaka ka1999 ngesikhathi ekuqembu leHwange Athletics Club lapho ayeqe khona ibanga eliyi 2,16 metres njalo uthi lokhu ukwenze ngemva kokulungiselela kanzima okwenyanga eziyisithupha lomqeqetshi wakhe uPaul Chapita.
“UPaul Chapita uthe eqala ukusebenza lami wathi sekuleminyaka elitshumi kungela muntu oseyeqe wedlula ibanga eliyi 2,10 metres njalo lokho kumele sikuguqule. Ngalokho ke walungisa uhlelo olokuba ngizilolonge njani njalo ngidle njani esalulandela okwenyanga eziyisithupha. Ngangigijima amakhilomitha amahlanu emadabukakusa, ngiphinde njalo emini kuthi ntambama ngizilolonge labanye ababekuqembu leHwange kubesekusithi ebusuku ngangisiya egym. NgoMgqibelo wayengithatha siye enkundleni ngiyekweqa njalo lokho sakwenza kwaze kwafika usuku lomncintiswano,” kutsho uPhiri.
Umncintiswano kwakungowe Hwange Championships njalo uPhiri uthi phambilini kwawo kwasekuleminyaka elitshumi uRalph Dube eyeqe ibanga eliyi 2,10 metres njalo umqeqetshi wakhe uChapita wayefunge wagomela wathi bazayibhala kutsha imbali yomdlalo wokweqa kwele Zimbabwe.
“Emdlalweni wokweqa abadlali bayabuzwa ukuba lifuna ukuqala ukweqa liphi ibanga njalo abanye abadlali bathi bafuna ukuqalela ku 1,60 metres okwakulibanga eliphansi kakhulu kimi. Abanye bonke behluleka ukweqa 1,85 metres mina ngingakaqali ukweqa njalo mina ngaqalela ku 1,95 ngadlulela ku 2 metres kwathi ngemva kwalokho ngacela ukuba bafake 2,15 metres.
Ngenelisa ukweqa 2,15 metres sengizama okwesithathu ngahle ngayala ukudlulela phambili,” kutsho uPhiri.
Ngemva kweviki kwaba lomunye umncintiswano owaqhutshelwa enkundleni yeNational Sports Stadium lapho uPhiri ayeqe khona 2,16 metres.
Ngokuswelakala kwenhlanhla uPhiri usuke walimala ngesikhathi elungiselela ukuphatheka kumncintiswano weAll Africa Games oqhutshelwe elizweni leSouth Africa ngo1999.
“Ngalimala ipatellar tendon ngesikhathi ngiseSouth Africa njalo angazi ukuba kwakuzakwenzakalani khonale ngoba ngasengiseqa ngedlule 2,25 metres nxa ngizilolonga. Ngemva kokuhlinzwa idolo ngaphenduka kodwa kwakungasafani ngasengikhetha ukuma ukudlala ngaba ngumqeqetshi,” kutsho uPhiri.
Ngo2019 uMieguery Kwenda oweqembu leUniversity of Zimbabwe laye wenelise ukweqa 2,16 metres kuthi uKudakwashe Chadenga oselizweni laseMelika nguye oze weqa ibanga eledlula lapho ngo2022 lapho ayeqe khona 2,22 metres.
UPhiri uzalelwe edolobheni lakoBulawayo ngomnyaka ka1973 njalo ufunde ezikolo ezibalisa iGampu, Henry Low kanye leHamilton High.
Ngemva kokuma ukudlala uPhiri usebenze eHwange engumqeqetshi waphinda njalo wasebenzela inhlanganiso ezibalisa eyeSport and Recreation Commission, iShangani kanye leMwana Africa engumlawuli wezemidlalo. Ngemva kwalokho usebenzele amaqembu omdlalo wenguqu abalisa eleChicken Inn kanye leleTalen Vision ikanti kulezinsuku usebenzela eleArenel lona elingene lonyaka kusigaba seCastle Lager Premier Soccer League.
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