Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) took another step towards securing her second Spar Grand Prix title (Xaba won the series title in 2018) on Saturday, when she won the Gqeberha Spar Women’s 10km Challenge in 31:22. Ethiopian junior, Diniya Abaraya (Nedbank) was second in 31:33 – the world’s 13th fastest time by a junior. Her compatriot, defending SPAR Grand Prix title holder Tadu Nare, was third in 31:48.
Glenrose Xaba wins the SPAR Grand Prix Gqeberha 🥳🥳 Well done Champ!! pic.twitter.com/6dIwhU7KtM
— SPAR Grand Prix (@SPARGrandPrix) September 21, 2024
Running in almost perfect conditions, on a cool morning, Xaba, Nare and Abaraya surged ahead from the start, and by about the 3km mark, were almost half a kilometre ahead of the rest of the pack. Xaba broke away at about 7.5km, leaving the two Ethiopians running together. Nare, who won a million rand in a marathon in Mbombela last weekend, appeared to be taking some strain, finishing 15 seconds behind her teammate.
Carina Viljoen (Randburg HS), normally a 1500m track runner, surprised everyone when she powered into fourth place, in 33:10. Two former SPAR Grand Prix winners, Diana-Lebo and Lebogang Phalula, now running in the 40–49-year category, showed they are still contenders by finishing in eighth and 10th place respectively.
'VERY HAPPY'
“I had a very good race today,” said a smiling Xaba.
“Tadu, Diniya and I pushed hard from the start. I planned to lead from the start, and I was aiming for a sub-32 time. I was hoping to break my national record of 31:12, but I am very happy with my race,” she said.
Nare said she had made history by finishing in the top three so soon after running a marathon.
“I ran 42kms last weekend, and normally, I should rest for two months after a marathon. My coach pushed me to run, and I am very happy to be in the top three seven days after that marathon. I don’t look at it as having lost the race today – I feel as if I had won,” said Nare.
Viljoen, who is based in the United States, said she had been training at high altitude in California and had entered the race because she wanted to see how she went at sea level.
“I entered because I thought it would be fun to run at sea level, but I didn’t realise how much fun it would be. I used to run Spar 10km races before I went to the United States, but this is the first I have done for some time. I had hoped to break 34 minutes, so I was very happy to nearly break 33. I love running in my home country,” she said.
“I am in South Africa for a few months for strength training.”
5200 runners took part in the Gqeberha leg of the Spar Women’s 10KM Challenge and 5km Fun Run.
The final leg of the 2024 SPAR Grand Prix series will be run in Johannesburg on Sunday, 6 October 2024.