Adnaan Mohamed
Tayla Kavanagh has no intention of being distracted by a growing SPAR Grand Prix lead.
The Hollywood Athletics Club star is enjoying the richest vein of form of her career, but Sunday’s commanding victory in Durban merely confirmed where her attention lies. The Commonwealth Games 5 000m in Glasgow is the next target. After that, Glenrose Xaba’s South African 10km road record moves firmly into view.
Kavanagh underlined her credentials with another front-running display in the second leg of the SPAR Grand Prix series, clocking 31:31 after leading from gun to tape. The performance trimmed one second off the 31:32 she recorded while winning the opening race in Cape Town in March.
Ethiopia’s Selam Gebre stayed within striking distance before finishing second in 31:45, while Kavanagh’s Hollywood teammate Neheng Khatala completed the podium in 32:08.
The victory added another chapter to a remarkable season. The 25-year-old lowered her personal best to 31:33 at the Sanlam Cape Town 10km Peace Run in May, secured a third successive title in that race and swept to national crowns over 5 000m and 10 000m at the South African Championships in Stellenbosch.
Despite opening a healthy advantage in the SPAR standings, Kavanagh says the series title is not driving her schedule.
“My focus is on the Commonwealth Games. I have one more 10K and then all eyes are on the Commonwealth Games,” she said.
“I haven’t committed to any other SPAR races yet, so I can’t tell you if I’ll be trying to win the whole series. I’m trying to participate in the ones that I can.”
Durban presented a different challenge to Cape Town, where Kavanagh spent much of the race chasing Glenrose Xaba. This time she dictated the pace from the front and trusted her instincts.
“I was quite proud of how I managed to relax within the race, constantly checking in with myself and how my body was reacting,” she said.
“Selam and I had a really good race. At the 9km mark I still felt I had something left in the legs, so I tried to open up. I was really happy with how it played out.”
While Glasgow has become her immediate destination, the national record remains the long-term prize.
Xaba’s South African 10km road record of 31:12, set in Durban in 2024 when she erased Elana Meyer’s 23-year-old mark, has become the benchmark Kavanagh wants to reach.
“I’d love to get there this season. Hopefully by the end of 2026 I can reach that goal or see how close we can get,” she said.
“I know on a good day, if everything comes together, I have a good chance. It’s a matter of time. It’s in God’s hands when it happens, but it’s something I do want to chase.”
The stopwatch has become Kavanagh’s toughest opponent.
If her current trajectory continues, Glasgow could provide another springboard before she takes aim at one of South African road running’s most treasured records.