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Prodigal Khumalo

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO-born Prodigal Khumalo on Sunday won the demanding 56km Zululand Ultra Marathon in South Africa in a time of 3 hours, 21 minutes and 48 seconds to claim a brand new Toyota Etios.

Khumalo, who was raised in Nkulumane suburb, shrugged off the challenge of 419 other runners from across the globe to romp to victory. Thobile Mbolekwa was second in 3 hours, 22 minutes and 2 seconds, while Lephethesang Adoro finished third in 3 hours, 22 minutes and 58 seconds.

“I have come seventh, third, second and finally I won the 2018 Zululand Ultra Marathon. It reminds me of my 2018 motivation; ‘Forget about yesterday, you can’t change it, forget about tomorrow, you can’t predict it. Don’t say it, but show what you can do. Do your best now’. This is a special prize that I won’t forget, for it’s different to what I’m used to getting when I win races. I took the lead from the gun; I never waited for any runner I didn’t train with. At 45km I knew my chances were high to claim first prize of the Toyota Etios,” wrote Khumalo on his Facebook timeline.

He won the KwaZulu-Natal Ultra Marathon in December 2017 and urged organisers of such events to do thorough preparatory work before such major events, as some athletes were disqualified along the way due to disturbances from the community.

“Community and race sponsors should be educated on how to go about helping runners on the road. We couldn’t control community running on the side pouring water on us and race sponsors doing the same, which led to disqualification of some runners in the first group,” posted Khumalo.

@skhumoyo2000