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South Africa’s road running queen Glenrose Xaba has sealed her place in history by becoming the first black South African athlete to claim the Spar Women’s 10km Grand Prix title three times.
The 30-year-old Boxer Running Club star stormed to her fourth consecutive victory in Gqeberha on Saturday, clocking 31:57 in front of a packed crowd to secure the series with one race to spare.
Hollywood Athletics Club’s Taylor Kavanagh produced the surprise performance of the day, taking second place in 32:01, while Ethiopia’s Diniya Abaraya crossed the line third in 32:04.
Fresh from winning the Absa Run Your City 10km in Johannesburg earlier in the week, Karabo Mailula finished a strong fourth in 32:43.
Xaba’s closest challenger on the Grand Prix leaderboard could only manage fifth in 32:52, giving the defending champion an unassailable lead.
For her victory in the Friendly City, Xaba earned R30 000, adding to the R200 000 overall series prize money and a brand-new Hyundai vehicle she will receive at the final leg in Johannesburg on October 5.
Her decision to skip the Joburg 10km on Heritage Day to stay fresh for Gqeberha paid off handsomely.
This marked Xaba’s seventh consecutive sub-32-minute run this year, which she described as a breakthrough season in her career.
Xaba admitted that she felt a little fatigued and her body did not respond as she had hoped.
“I was not 100%. The course was just too fast, and I tried my best to push, but when the body doesn’t respond, there’s not much you can do. In the last 3km, I told myself I was going to win it.
Thanks to Spar for the support. I would have loved to run faster, but my body was tired,” she explained.
Reflecting on securing the series title for the third time, Xaba said her achievement was about more than personal glory.
“I’m proud of myself because I achieved all the goals I set for the series. Winning three titles will inspire the next generation of young black girls to stay focused on their goals and believe they can achieve more in life,” she said.
Xaba first lifted the series crown in 2018, before reclaiming it in 2024, and her third triumph now sees her join elite company. Only fellow South Africans Irvette van Zyl and René Kalmer, along with Namibia’s Helalia Johannes and Ethiopia’s Tadu Nare, have managed to secure three Grand Prix titles.
With yet another sub-32-minute performance, Xaba has firmly cemented her reputation as the undisputed “queen” of South African road running.
