Tayla Kavanagh on Patience, Partners and the Power of Women’s Distance Running

Tayla Kavanagh, the Hollywood Athletics Club elite from KwaZulu-Natal, became one of only three South African women ever to dip under 15 minutes for the 5000m when she clocked a personal best of 14:58.52 at the ASA Senior Track and Field Championships in Stellenbosch on Thursday, 16 April 2026. All Photos: Supplied

From a sub-15 5000m to her first Spar Grand Prix win, Tayla Kavanagh tells gsport that confidence, consistency and self-coached patience are powering a record-chasing 2026 that is reshaping South African women’s distance running.

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