Glenrose Xaba continued her dominance of the Spar Women’s Challenge 10km with yet another compelling victory in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, on Saturday, 27 February 2025.
The Boxer Athletic Club runner clocked a fast 31:57 to breast the finish tape first ahead of surprise package Tayla Kavanagh (32:01) of Hollywood Athletics Club. Ethiopia’s Diniya Abaraya, running in the green colours of Nedbank Running Club, completed the podium positions in 32:04.
Xaba has now won all four races in the 2025 Grand Prix Series to hold on to her title with the luxury of next weekend’s Johannesburg leg to spare, as she enjoys an unassailable 115 points.
She becomes the first South African Black athlete to win the Spar Grand Prix three times, having also reigned victorious back in 2018. Xaba adds her name to that stellar list which includes her compatriots Rene Kalmer, Irvette van Zyl, as well as Namibia’s Helalia Johannes and Tadu Nare of Ethiopia.
On a morning perfect for good running in the Windy City, Xaba lived up to her billing as favourite by starting on the front foot and looking fresh after opting to skip Wednesday’s Absa Run Your City Joburg 10K.
Her usual nemesis Selam Gebre and her compatriot Diniya Abaraya stuck with her in the initial stage and history suggested the former would be her main competition. For a while it looked like the podium positions were decided as the trio enjoyed the lead.
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But having recently competed at the Buenos Aires Marathon where she finished in fourth place, Gebre struggled to keep up as Xaba injected the pace.
Resplendent in what is now becoming her trademark white cap, the athlete nicknamed ‘SuperCharge’ injected some pace into her run and that was all she wrote – the race was over as a contest, at least for the first spot.
Kavanagh dug deep to sneak into second spot ahead of Abaraya.
Speaking at the post-race media conference, Xaba’s delight at having sealed yet another Grand Prix title knew no bounds – particularly given that she was not feeling well.
“I was not 100 percent. My body was not responding well,” she said. “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’.”
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The final leg of the Spar Grand Prix will take place on Sunday morning at the Marks Park Sporting Club in Emmerentia, Johannesburg.
Leading Open Results of the Spar Grand Prix women’s 10km race held in Gqeberha on Saturday, 27 September 2025.
1. Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) 31:57
2. Tayla Kavanagh (Hollywoodbets) 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
1. 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
Original Copy: BLD Communications, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Glenrose Xaba has sealed the 2025 Spar Grand Prix title in Gqeberha, clocking 31:57 for her fourth win of the season ahead of Tayla Kavanagh (right) and Diniya Abaraya (left), to give her an unassailable series lead, at Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, on Saturday, 27 February 2025. All Photos: Micheal Sheehan / Gallo Images
Photo 2 Caption: Xaba wins her a noteworthy distinction of becoming the first Black South African athlete to win the Spar Grand Prix series three times.
Photo 3 Caption: Despite not feeling well, the athlete nicknamed ‘SuperCharge’ injected pace, and the race for the first spot was over as a contest.
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