Glenrose Xaba to turn to marathon if 10 000m World Champs bid fails

The 30-year-old hopes to make her track debut at the global showpiece, but will fall back on the 42.2km marathon should she fail to make the cut.

Despite multiple failed attempts, the two-time Spar Women’s 10km Grand Prix series champion is determined to achieve the qualifying time of 30:20:00 in the 10,000m and is now banking on World Athletics' ranking system to strengthen her chances.

“Although I’ve already secured qualification for the marathon, my priority is to earn a spot on the track. My goal is to qualify for the track events in the 5 000m and 10 000m,” Xaba told SABC Sport.

“If I don’t meet the qualifying standards for the 5 000m and 10 000m, then I’ll fall back on the marathon. I’m open to running either event, but the marathon is not my first choice."

Coached by Caster and Violet Semenya, Xaba broke the national marathon record on her debut at the Cape Town Marathon last year, clocking an impressive 2:22:22 to dip under the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:23:30.

She recently set a personal best of 15:04.42 in the 5000m at a meet in Paris, narrowly missing the 14:50.00 qualifying standard, while she will compete in next month's Absa Run Your City 10km race in Durban, aiming to earn more world ranking points.

“I think I’ll try to qualify at the Absa race, and if other opportunities come up in Europe, I’ll take them and give it my all. I’m hoping to boost my chances in Durban because my focus is still on qualifying for the track events,” she concluded.

READ: SA Paralympian Puseletso Mabote gunning for gold at World Champs