GQEBERHA: Glenrose Xaba may have arrived in Gqeberha with tired legs after her World Half Marathon Championship outing in Copenhagen, but the South African road-running sensation left the rain-soaked streets with another piece of history.
The Boxer Athletics Club star scorched her way to a breathtaking 31:16 victory in Saturday morning’s SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge, producing the third-fastest 10km time ever recorded by a South African woman.
The clock was cruelly close to another national record.
Xaba finished only four seconds outside her South African record of 31:12, set at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on 7 July 2024.
GQEBERHA, SOUTH AFRICA – SEPTEMBER 26: Glenrose Xaba Boxer AC – AGN during the 2026 SPAR Women’s Grand Prix 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run at Pollock Beach Grass Area Summerstrand on September 26, 2026 in Gqeberha, South Africa. (Photo by Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images)
That performance in Durban saw Xaba shatter the long-standing national record of 31:13 held by iconic South African distance runner Elana Meyer for 23 years.
In Gqeberha, the weather offered little assistance. Overcast skies, humidity and persistent rain turned the course into a slippery test of speed and strength, but Xaba treated the conditions as little more than another hurdle to clear.
Her 31:16 was a powerful statement so soon after representing South Africa at the World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen.
If fatigue was knocking on the door, Xaba refused to answer.
Behind her, Boxer teammate Karabo More produced another breakthrough performance, powering to second place in a brilliant personal best of 32:21.
GQEBERHA, SOUTH AFRICA – SEPTEMBER 26: Karabo More Boxer AC – AGN during the 2026 SPAR Women’s Grand Prix 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run at Pollock Beach Grass Area Summerstrand on September 26, 2026 in Gqeberha, South Africa. (Photo by Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images)
More’s run added another layer to a dominant day for Boxer AC, with the club securing the top two places on the podium.
Ethiopian Selam Gebre of Nedbank completed the podium in 32:33, but the morning belonged to Xaba.
Her victory was not another routine entry in the record books. It was a reminder that South African women’s distance running has a formidable engine at its front, and Xaba continues to push the needle.
The stopwatch says four seconds separated her from her own national record.
The bigger picture says Xaba remains within striking distance of history.
And with the SPAR Grand Prix season gathering pace, the race against the clock has only begun.
The Boxer Athletics Club star has a shot at becoming the first woman to win four SPAR Grand Prix titles, but Saturday’s penultimate race in Gqeberha could send the championship race into overdrive.
Xaba currently shares the record of three Grand Prix crowns with fellow South Africans Rene Kalmer and Irvette van Zyl, and Ethiopia’s Tadu Nare.
A victory in this year’s series would put her alone at the top.
But the road to history is littered with potholes.
Kavanagh will miss Gqeberha after staying in Europe following the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, where she smashed Elana Meyer’s South African 5km record with a sensational 14:51.
That absence has opened the door for the chasing pack.
And they are coming.
Ethiopian Selam Gebre, currently fourth, will be among those hunting points, while Karabo Mailula, sixth, arrives after finishing fifth in Thursday’sAbsa RUN YOUR CITY Joburg 10K in 34:44.
Irvette van Zyl, another three-time Grand Prix champion, clocked 34:51 in Joburg and sits 10th overall.
Neheng Khatala, Cian Gerber (Oldknow) and Karabo More are also expected to throw themselves into the points battle.
Xaba, meanwhile, is carrying serious form into Gqeberha.
She finished 13th in the Copenhagen half marathon in 1:07:49, the second-fastest 21km time of her career.
Sosibo was 70th in 1:14:00 and will be determined to protect her championship lead.
Then there is the course.
SPAR Grand Prix technical consultantBrad Glasspoole says the new route could produce a furious finish.
“The new Gqeberha route starts at Pollok Beach and avoids the city centre. This reduces traffic, turns and twists,” Glasspoole told Modern Athlete
“There is a 550m climb on 10th Avenue, followed by a 450m descent. The final 2.5km is flat and fast.”
That final stretch could become a sprinting lottery, with tired legs and championship points fighting for the same piece of road.
About 6,000 runners are expected, with wet and windy conditions forecast.
Glasspoole believes the new qualification rule could make Saturday even more important.
“This is a new rule we introduced this year to make the series more competitive. With Johannesburg as the final leg after Gqeberha, Saturday’s points could be decisive.”
Athletes must complete at least three races to qualify for the Grand Prix title.
The five-race series visits Cape Town, Durban, Tshwane, Gqeberha and Johannesburg, with R1,967,500 in total prize money and up to R212,000 available per leg for the South African competition.
Caster Semenya at starting line during the 2025 SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run at Green Point Common Sports Ground on March 30, 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
Xaba, Sosibo, Mailula and More are coached by former Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya and her wife Violet Semenya.
Defending SPAR Grand Prix champion Glenrose Xaba returned to winning ways by breaking the Tshwane course record on Saturday, boosting her title defence with a dominant display over 10km in Centurion.
The Boxer Athletics Club star clocked 32:28 at SuperSport Park to shave one second off the previous course record of 32:29, set by Namibia’s Helalia Johannes in 2022.
It was Xaba’s first victory of the 2026 series after finishing second behind Tayla Kavanagh in Cape Town and missing the Durban leg while competing internationally.
Kavanagh’s absence due to her Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow presented an opportunity, and Xaba capitalised with a measured performance.
Ethiopian athlete Selam Gebre stayed with Xaba through the opening half of the race before the South African made her move shortly after the 5km mark. She quickly opened a decisive gap and never looked back.
The performance was underlined by disciplined pacing, with Xaba completing the second half of the race 31 seconds faster than the first.
“I’m training for the half marathon at the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen in September, and the race went according to plan,” Xaba said.
“Coming into the race, my strategy was to run very fast to get bonus points, and I was very happy to be back in Tshwane and running the SPAR race. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.”
Gebre secured second place in 34:10 despite battling the conditions.
“The race today was very tough and intense, if I’m honest. The start time was different to what we’re used to, and the elevation kind of caught up with me and I couldn’t breathe at certain points. So, it was tough, but I had to push myself as best I could and I’m glad I came second,” she said.
South Africa’s Kyla Jacobs finished third in 34:21 after a strong closing kilometre. It was her second podium finish of the series, with both Jacobs and Gebre collecting bonus points for running under 34:40.
“It’s always great to be here for the Tshwane race because this is actually where my running career started, so I’m really proud and happy to be on the podium today,” Jacobs said.
“It was a great race. I tried to run conservatively and was able to pick the field up from the back, so I was happy with how I executed it.”
Xaba’s victory throws fresh momentum into the SPAR Grand Prix series as she continues her build-up to the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen later this year.
Kavanagh (25), who grew up in Hillcrest in KwaZulu-Natal, will enter the race wearing the leader’s bib in the series and carrying the weight of expectation. Yet the road ahead resembles a tightly packed peloton rather than a solo breakaway. Every stride onSunday’s 10km Challengecould reshape the championship landscape.
The Hollywood Athletics Club athlete says her training has gone well and is excited to test herself against a strong field again.
“I feel strong at this stage of the season,” said Kavanagh.
“Every race is an opportunity to build momentum and consistency. I like to focus on one opportunity at a time. I always give each race my full focus and try do my best on the day”
Despite her strong start, Kavanagh is taking a measured approach to the championship battle.
“My goal is to race smart and hopefully execute a good race to achieve the best possible result on the day”
Durban’s beachfront route has often been a theatre of drama and this year promises another chapter rich in intrigue.
The absence of defending SPAR Grand Prix champion Glenrose Xaba, who is racing in the United States, opens a wider lane for the contenders. More, Sosibo and Kayla Jacobs remain within striking distance after collecting maximum bonus points in Cape Town. Meanwhile, Nedbank’s Ethiopian aceSelam Gebre finally joins the series after visa complications sidelined her from the opening race. She will be hunting valuable points with the hunger of an athlete eager to make up lost ground.
The format of the competition, with the final points based on an athlete’s top four races, means that runners can miss one of the five SPAR Challenges and still be in contention for the top prize of R210 000.
Selam Gebre- Ethiopian star, Selam Gebre (Nedbank) will be one of the favourites for the 10km SPAR Women’s Challenge Durban on Sunday 28 June 2026. Photo credits: Ashley Vlotman/ Gallo Images
The Grand Prix format adds another layer of suspense. With only an athlete’s best four results counting towards the final standings, one missed race is not a fatal stumble. It keeps the title race alive and turns every Challenge into a tactical chess match played at racing speed.
The age category battles are also simmering nicely. Elizabeth Potter, Nerida Lubbe and Janene Carey share early momentum in the 50-59 division after securing maximum bonus points in Cape Town. In the 60-69 category, defending champion Judy Bird, Dalene Sonnekus, Ester Brink and Suzanne Marais have already signalled their intentions.
Beyond the stopwatch, the event continues to champion causes greater than sport. A portion of every entry will support iThemba Lethu, an organisation dedicated to uplifting and nurturing young lives in eThekwini.
“The SPAR Women’s Challenge is so much more than a race,” said SPAR National PR, Communications and Sponsorship Manager Mpudi Maubane.
“It is a platform – one that brings together sport, community, empowerment, and purpose in a way that few properties in South Africa can.
“Whether it is our elite athletes competing for SPAR Grand Prix glory, a first-time 5km entrant crossing the finish line, our beneficiary organisations receiving life-changing support, or our campaigns against gender-based violence and period poverty – every single element of this property has one thing in common: celebrating and empowering women. And that is very close to SPAR’s heart.”
The event’s partnership with Hyundai adds another incentive, with an Exter SUV up for grabs in the lucky draw.
Sunday’s route starts on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and finishes at the outer fields of Kings Park Rugby Stadium. According to Race Director Brad Glassspoole, the course is relatively flat but sprinkled with enough twists, turns and subtle elevation changes to keep runners honest.
“Supporting the SPAR Women’s Grand Prix aligns with our commitment to a healthier, more active South Africa,” said Hyundai Chief Executive Stanley Anderson.
“Regular exercise builds strength, confidence and community – the same values we strive to embody as a brand.”
As Durban prepares to lace up for another celebration of women’s running, Kavanagh stands at the front of the field. The question is whether she can stretch her advantage or whether the chasing pack will turn the Grand Prix race into a full-blown sprint to the finish.
Gqeberha, Eastern Cape – Glenrose Xaba once again turned the SPAR Women’s Challenge into her personal racetrack on Saturday morning, streaking down Marine Drive like a sprinter on rails to seize her fourth straight victory of the 2025 Grand Prix Series and, with it, another chapter of history.
The Boxer Athletic Club dynamo, nicknamed “SuperCharger” for the way she ignites races with a sudden burst of speed stopped the clock at a searing 31:57, her white cap bobbing like a beacon at the head of the pack as she tore through the Windy City air.
She sliced the tape ahead of Hollywood Athletics Club’s Tayla Kavanagh (32:01), while Ethiopia’s Diniya Abaraya (32:04) , clad in Nedbank green, clung on for third.
GQEBERHA, SOUTH AFRICA – SEPTEMBER 27: Glenrose Xaba (L) , Diniya Abaraya and Tayla Kavanagh of Hollywood (R) during the 2025 SPAR Women’s Grand Prix 10km Challenge at Pollok Beach in Gqeberha. Photo: Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images)
Glenrose has now sprinted into an unassailable 115-point lead with one race to spare, making next weekend’s Johannesburg leg little more than a victory lap.
She becomes the first black South African athlete to win the SPAR Grand Prix three times, adding her name once more to a glittering roll call that includes Rene Kalmer, Irvette van Zyl, Namibia’s Helalia Johannes and Ethiopia’s Tadu Nare.
On a crisp morning made for fast times, Glenrose toed the line looking refreshed, having chosen to sidestep Wednesday’s Absa RUN YOUR CITY Joburg 10K. When the gun fired, she immediately leaned into the race like a runner unwilling to wait for destiny.
Her usual rival Selam Gebre tried to shadow her stride for stride, joined by Abaraya, and for a while the trio ran in formation, as though the podium had already been sketched in pencil.
But Gebre, her legs heavy from a fourth-place finish at the Buenos Aires Marathon earlier this month, faltered once Glenrose pressed the accelerator.
Resplendent in her trademark white cap, Glenrose’s surge was as decisive as it was devastating down the home straight.
The contest for gold was over; the race had become a chase for silver. Kavanagh, digging into her reserves with the grit of a runner who refused to fade, clawed her way past Abaraya to snatch second.
For Glenrose, the victory was all the sweeter because she had not felt at her sharpest.
“I was not 100 percent. My body was not responding well,” she admitted afterwards.
“The course was very fast. Last year I ran a course record. Today I did 31 high because my body was not responding well. I tried my best to push my pace, but I could not push much.
“But I told myself, ‘Let me keep the pace’ and then in the last three kilometres I said, ‘let me give myself a push’.”
And push she did, storming home to the delight of the Gqeberha crowd and swelling her bank balance with a R200 000 payday for clinching the overall Grand Prix prize.
The race itself was a sell-out, with 5 000 runners filling the streets in a celebration of women’s running.
For one lucky participant, it was about more than medals and times: Nomandla Lunguza of Kariega, Uitenhage walked away with a Hyundai EXTER, the fifth vehicle SPAR and Hyundai have given away this season.
“At Hyundai Automotive South Africa, we believe excellence comes in many forms. Whether you are leading the race or simply showing and giving it your all. That is why we are proud to be part of the SPAR Women’s Challenge, where every woman out there is a winner in her own right,” said Stanley Anderson, CEO of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.
“Accordingly, the SPAR Women’s Challenge alignment with the Hyundai EXTER is aimed at highlighting this vehicle’s strength. It is built to handle life’s daily demands with ease and flair. Just like the event itself, the Hyundai EXTER is as versatile and vibrant as the women who inspire us every day.”
For Glenrose Xaba, though, the car on Saturday was running on her own high-octane, Supercharged engine.
And with one more race to go, she has already driven her way into history.
Hyundai Exter winner, Nomandla Lunguza, with Clinton Bezuidenhout, Dealer Principal at Hyundai Gqeberha. Photo: Michael Sheehan / Gallo Images
The final leg of the SPAR Grand Prix will take place on Sunday morning, 05 October 2025 at Marks Park Sporting Club in Emmerentia, Johannesburg.
