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Glenrose Returns to Durban’s Boxer Super Run

Adnaan MohamedBoxer Super Run, Features, NewsLeave a Comment on Glenrose Returns to Durban’s Boxer Super Run
By Adnaan Mohamed

Like a champion runner returning to her favourite stretch of road, Glenrose “Supercharger” Xaba as well as the cream of South Africa’s top female athlete’s are coming back to participate in Durban’s Boxer Super Run on Sunday, 12 October 2025.

Two years ago, she lit up Snell Parade like sunrise breaking over the ocean, flying home in 16:03 to become the fastest South African woman over 5km on local soil.

Last year she traded that sharp burst of speed for the long, patient drumbeat of marathon miles and the gamble paid off, her feet writing history across Cape Town’s streets in 2:22:22, a record carved into the national story.

“I missed out on the 2024 race because I was training for my marathon debut and aiming for the SA record, which God blessed me with,” Xaba reflects, her words steady as a stride on the back straight.

“This year at the Boxer Super Run in Durban, I just want to enjoy myself and see what my legs can do. The 5km distance is special because it’s all about speed from the first kilometre to the finish. I look forward to running against training partners like Karabo More.”

Beside her, the field is rich with Tayla Kavanagh, Durban’s own racing the road she knows like the back of her hand.

Glenrose Xaba Photo: Anthony Grote

“Recently I’ve run a number of 10km races, and I have decided to use the Boxer Super Run 5K to enjoy a shorter distance on the road and see what I can do,” she says. “It’s a challenging distance but I enjoy a challenge… The local support on a hometown race is always super special.”

Debutant Karabo Motsoeneng all the way from Hammanskraal in Pretoria is ready to test her mettle against the tide:

“The Boxer Super Run is a great opportunity for people to have fun while showcasing their talents. The 5km distance is short but fast. My goal is to run a PB on the day. I’m looking forward to seeing the elite runners break records and set new PBs.”

And for Carina Swiegers, the race is a celebration of joy as much as speed:

“The Boxer Super Run is just a quick and fun day out for family and friends. It’s something different from the usual 10km or 21.1km road races, and the vibe and organisation are top class. I absolutely love it. It’s just long enough but also short enough to run really fast.”

The sponsors too are in step with the excitement.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Glenrose Xaba back to the Boxer Super Run in Durban… It’s also fantastic to have Karabo Motsoeneng and Carina Swiegers joining the field,” said Lee-Ann Pillay, Head of Marketing.

“It’s set to be an exciting event for everyone!”

Race Day Notes — 2025 Boxer Super Run Durban

  • Date: Sunday, 12 October 2025
  • Distance: 5km — a dash as brief as a heartbeat, as fierce as a sprint to the tape
  • Start & Finish: Snell Parade to Blue Lagoon Park, where the city’s surf meets the runners’ rhythm
  • Waves:
    • 07:00 — Open Wave: the city’s morning chorus, thousands of feet drumming in unison
    • 08:00–09:30 — Super Social Wave: costumes, laughter, and joy carried on the ocean breeze
    • 09:45 — Elite Women: a ballet of speed, every step chasing history
    • 10:00 — Elite Men: the closing crescendo, a sprint to glory
  • Prize Purse: R147,200 — gold for those who can turn sweat into flight
  • Gifts: T-shirt, medal, goodie bag, and the memory of Durban’s seafront rising to cheer every stride

Glenrose storms to historic SPAR Grand Prix hat-trick in Gqeberha

Adnaan MohamedFeatures, News, RacingLeave a Comment on Glenrose storms to historic SPAR Grand Prix hat-trick in Gqeberha

By Adnaan Mohamed

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.

WATCH | Glenrose Xaba makes history at the Spar Grand Prix in Gqeberha Video: Adnaan Mohamed

“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.

SPAR GRAND PRIX RESULTS: GQEBERHA

Results of the SPAR Grand Prix women’s 10km race held in Gqeberha on Saturday, 27 September 2025.

Open: 1 Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) 31:57, 2 Tayla Kavanagh (Hollywood) 32:01, 3 Diniya Abaraya (Nedbank) 32:04, 4 Karabo Mailula (Tuks) 32:43, 5 Selam Gebre (Nedbank) 33:02, 6 Karabo More (Boxer) 33:15, 7 Cacisile Sosibo (Boxer) 33:47, 8 Carina Swiegers (Boxer) 35:47, 9 Nicola Wills (Boxer) 35:56, 10 Lizandre Mulder (Kovsies) 36:10

U20: Chanell Groenewalt (Boxer) 38:16, 2 Hlengiwe Nkosi (Madibaz) 39:32, 3 Abbie Mitchell (Madibaz) 41:25, 4 Ilke Wolmarans (Elite) 47:03, 5 Entle Komani (Kowie) 48:50

40-49: 1 Janie Grundling (Peak) 37:03, 2 Nerida Lubbe (Nedbank) 39:20, 3 Ntombesintu Mfunzi (Nedbank) 42:38, 4 Cindy Marais (Charlo) 43:50, 5 Natascia de Ridder (Elite) 48:23

50-59: 1 Elizabeth Potter (Boxer) 39:42, 2 Janene Carey (Boxer) 42:23, 3 Davera Magson (Nedbank) 45:33, 4 Liezl van Zyl (Nedbank) 46:32, 5 Burinta Strydom (Run 4 Christ) 46:54

60-69: 1 Judy Bird (Boxer) 41:42, 2 Grace de Oliveira (Maxed Elite) 45:13, 3 Christine Claasen (Nedbank) 46:41, 4 Lelanie Cornelius (NA) 49:39, 5 Johanette Oosthuizen (Body Concept) 50:44

70-79: 1 Margie Saunders (Nedbank) 45:06, 2 Rozetta Kemp (Run 4 Christ) 56:30

FIND THE FULL RESULTS HERE:

Tayla Kavanagh Defends Title at Maritzburg SPAR Women’s 10km

Tanika LaskeyFeatures, NewsLeave a Comment on Tayla Kavanagh Defends Title at Maritzburg SPAR Women’s 10km

Defending her title in sublime fashion, Tayla Kavanagh turned the Maritzburg SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge into a one-woman show on Sunday, 17 August.

This was no ordinary victory either — it marked the third consecutive year that the Durban athlete claimed the top spot in Pietermaritzburg, and she did it in style. Running in the colours of Hollywood Athletics Club, Kavanagh clocked an impressive 32:55, slicing a massive 77 seconds off her 2024 winning time and comfortably improving on her 2023 finish of 34:07.

Reflecting on her race, Kavanagh said:
“It was a lovely morning out on the streets of PMB, I always thoroughly enjoy participating in the SPAR Women’s 10km leg here in Pietermaritzburg. I had a pleasant race and I’m really happy with how it went. The weather was warmer than it had been in the past few weeks, but it was still favourable conditions to run in.”

She added:
“I was hoping to run a solid effort this morning. I didn’t have a specific time in mind, but I just wanted to execute a good race. I do some of my training in Maritzburg, so this race always feels like a home race for me! I also really relish the challenging hilly route and the community of women who come together to run this race.”

Kavanagh made her intentions clear early on, breaking away from the pack after the 2km mark, when the course’s first inclines began. She steadily stretched her lead, pulling away from Kenyan runner Florence Nyaingiri, who eventually finished second in 35:25 — two and a half minutes behind.

“We set off the race with a few of us running pretty strong together at the start, at around 2km’s is where the first inclines began and I know I really enjoy the hills and climbs so I would say just after the 2km marker I decided I would take the lead,” Kavanagh explained.

By 4.5km, she was already 45 seconds clear, passing the split in 15:12 compared to Nyaingiri’s 15:57.

The 24-year-old’s dominance comes in the middle of a standout year. Just one night earlier, she was crowned KZN Athletics Female Road Runner of the Year, she recently ran a blistering 31:53 PB at the Durban Totalsports Women’s Race, and she placed fifth overall at the Durban SPAR Women’s Challenge in June with a 32:32.

“I ran my PB at the Totalsports race in Durban in a time of 31:53. I have been dipping under 33 minutes numerous times over the last few years and only recently just ran under 32 minutes once so far. I look forward to racing my club’s race at the end of August, in the HollywoodBets Durban 10km,” she said.

For visiting athlete Florence Nyaingiri, running her first-ever Maritzburg race was a memorable experience. Based in Iten, Kenya’s world-famous training hub, she admitted the race wasn’t easy:
“It was a tough route and being so hot didn’t help, but I had a fantastic time running here and can’t wait to return next year to challenge for the top spot.”

Third place went to Likeleli Majara of Nedbank ByGrace Running Club in Bloemfontein, who crossed the line in 36:01.

This year’s race saw 3,696 women take to the streets around Alexandra Park and Pietermaritzburg’s CBD. It was also the sixth sold-out event in the SPAR Women’s Challenge Series, which hosts eight races across South Africa.

At the prize-giving, SPAR KZN made a meaningful contribution by handing over a R25,000 donation to the Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa (Choc House Maritzburg), with R5 from every entry going to the charity.

Results
Overall:

  1. Tayla Kavanagh 32:55

  2. Florence Nyaingiri 35:25

  3. Likeleli Majara 36:01

  4. Bathobile Mkhize 36:41

  5. Malineo Mahloko 37:11

  6. Janie Grundling 37:38

  7. Makhosi Mhlongo 38:24

  8. Luzaan de Wit 39:00

  9. Leah Edwards 41:49

  10. Janene Carey 42:07

Junior
1 Leah Edwards 41.49; 2 Courtney van Wyngaard 43.16; 3 Hannah Sewlal 48.03

Senior
1 Tayla Kavanagh 32.55; 2 Florence Nyaingiri 35.25; 3 Likeleli Majara 36.01

40 – 49
1 Janie Grundling 37.38; 2 Makhosi Mhlongo 38.24; 3 Mabusi Makhunga 42.36

50 – 59
1 Janene Carey 42.07; 2 Shani Silver 42.15; 3 Tholakele Ngcobo 50.18

60 -69
1 Grace de Oliviera 46.51; 2 Phillipa Lycett 01:05.39; 3 Kathy Baxter 01:07.24

70 – 79
1 Patricia Fisher 57.07; 2 Thandiwe Mashimane 01:04.37; 3 Jeanette Eglington 01:08.15