Michael Meyer responds to Glenrose Xaba’s Durban 10km course criticism

Xaba, speaking to SABC Sport on Sunday, said she had prepared for a flat course but was caught off guard by about four hills along the route resulting in her fifth-place finish in 31 minutes and 50 seconds.

Meyer refuted the claim that the course was difficult, saying the only notable incline came at the 6.5km mark.

“The suggestion that the route was hilly is ridiculous and laughable,” he said.

Meyer added that the race is designed for 10,000 participants, meaning organisers must work within the parameters approved by city authorities.

“We can’t just pick any route we want — every course needs city approval, and they don’t sign off on just anything,” he explained.

“I honestly think Glenrose is making excuses. She should have used the presence of top African runners as a push to break 31 minutes. But she’s been racing too often, and her preparation hasn’t been ideal. A stronger athlete would’ve handled this course.”

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Meyer said he was disappointed that Xaba chose to voice her concerns in the media rather than through official channels.

 “If I take you on that route, you’ll find it laughable that anyone calls it hilly. It’s simply not true.

Not every course can be completely flat, straight, and fast. When athletes underperform, they often look for something to blame. Glenrose ran well on the same course last year, so the route has nothing to do with her performance this time. As organisers, if athletes raise concerns privately, we always do our best to accommodate them.

But reading public criticism of the event or the route in the media is disappointing,” he concluded.