Glenrose Xaba, who recently retained her SA 10 000m title on the track and holds a half-marathon personal best of 1:09:26, is aiming for a personal best when she lines up along with South Africa’s other top runners for national titles at the ASA Half-Marathon Championships which has been incorporated in the Nelson Mandela Bay Half-Marathon in Gqeberha (former Port Elizabeth).
Xaba, who recently retained her SA 10 000m title on the track and holds a half-marathon personal best of 1:09:26, told gsport: “I just want to have a good race and run a personal best. That’s my goal. I want to be in the top six of South Africa and make the World Half marathon team again.”
It’s expected to be another hard-fought contest in the women’s race. Fresh off their impressive performances at the Xiamen Marathon Tuscany Camp Global Elite race in Italy, where they both dipped under 2:29:00 earlier this month, national marathon record holder Gerda Steyn and experienced campaigner Irvette van Zyl, have both been included in the entry lists in Gqeberha.
The field also features Lebo Phalula ( 3rd in 2019 clocking 1.15.33), who will be eager to spring a surprise against her more fancied compatriots.
“For some of the athletes who have already qualified for the Olympics, they will use the race to test their fitness levels and battle for the title. “We congratulate EPA for the Elite Label status granted to the race by World Athletics.
We also congratulate those who have been working behind the scenes at EPA to ensure success, an effort we expect to produce great times in the men and women races. We wish everyone a great race,” said Aleck Skhosana, the President of Athletics South Africa.
Click here to watch the race live on The Eastern Province Athletics’ Facebook page.
Photo caption: Glenrose Xasa pictured in action in this file photo. A strong field including Gerda Steyn, Glenrose Xaba and Irvette van Zyl line up for the ASA Half-Marathon Champs in Gqeberha on Saturday. Photo: ASA