ROAD RUNNING
Glenrose Xaba takes the win at the 2024 SPAR Grand Prix 10km Johannesburg
Xaba Dominates SPAR Joburg
Xaba was determined to win the SPAR Grand Prix this year
Glenrose Xaba clinched the 2024 SPAR Grand Prix series title on 6 October with an emphatic win in the Johannesburg SPAR 10km Women ’ s Challenge , giving her a fourth SPAR Women ’ s Challenge series win this year .
Having won the Cape Town , Tshwane and Gqeberha legs of the 2024 SPAR Grand Prix , and finished second in the Tshwane leg , South African 10km Record-holder and 10km Champion Glenrose Xaba lined up for the fifth and final leg of the series in Johannesburg determined to add another win and the series title to her already impressive list of accolades for the year .
Xaba ran together with three-time SPAR Grand Prix winner Tadu Nare and emerging talent Diniya Abaraya , both of Ethiopia , for the first six kilometres , but then surged ahead and ran on her own for the rest of the race . Xaba went on to win with a time of 32:48 , with Nare taking second in 34:00 and Abaraya third in 34:14 . The South African , who won the SPAR Grand Prix title in 2018 , became the first South African to win the title since international runners were admitted in 2019 .
“ I knew it was going be a fast race today , because the competition has been very good , and I am very happy to have won the SPAR Grand Prix again ,” said Xaba . “ I made many sacrifices to win , including not trying to qualify for the Olympic Games . My coaches , Caster Semenya and Violet Semenya , persuaded me that there was a bigger picture .”
Supporting Cast
Nare said she had done her best throughout the year and was happy with her performance . “ Glenrose has been a tremendous athlete from the get-go , and has just been getting stronger and stronger . I am so pleased for her , because she has put in the hard work .” Meanwhile , Abaraya , who had already won the junior category of the SPAR Grand Prix , said this year had been one of the best and most challenging of her life . “ I have learnt so much from Tadu and Glenrose , who have helped me to be competitive , but I still have a lot to learn , and a long way to go .”
Multiple ultra-marathon winner Gerda Steyn , who finished in sixth place , said she has always loved
26 ISSUE 174 | www . modernathlete . co . za running the SPAR Women ’ s Challenge races . “ I am
Xaba broke away from Tadu Nare and Diniya Abaraya after 6km
so excited to see how standards have improved . In 2018 , I finished second in the Jozi SPAR Women ’ s Challenge , in a time that was slower than my time
SENIOR |
1 Glenrose Xaba ( Boxer ) |
32:48 |
2 Tadu Nare ( Nedbank / Ethiopia ) |
34:00 |
3 Diniya Abaraya ( Nedbank / Ethiopia ) |
34:14 |
4 Blandina Makatisi ( Maxed Elite / Lesotho ) 35:01 |
5 Millicent Nyeberi ( Nedbank / Kenya ) |
35:05 |
6 Gerda Steyn ( Phantane ) |
35:11 |
7 Karabo More ( Masai ) |
35:20 |
8 Karabo Mailula ( Tuks ) |
35:33 |
9 Cacisile Sosibo ( Boxer ) |
36:14 |
10 Karabo Motsoeneng ( TUT ) |
36:26 |
JUNIOR |
1 Diniya Abaraya ( Nedbank / Ethiopia ) |
34:14 |
2 Shanike Jordaan ( Nedbank ) |
40:07 |
3 Jackie Coetze ( Boxer ) |
41:34 |
Gerda Steyn and Blandina Makitisi during the Joburg leg
today . I think the addition of the international runners has helped to push the South Africans . I am also very excited about the talent that is coming through .”
JET-SETTERS IN JOBURG
These are the top results from the SPAR Women ’ s 10km Challenge Johannesburg , held at Marks Park on 6 October 2024 .
40-49 |
1 Diana-Lebo Phalula-Mzazi ( Boxer ) |
37:24 |
2 Lebogang Phalula-Luthuli ( Boxer ) |
38:31 |
3 Jeannie Henderson ( Nedbank ) |
39:40 |
50-59 |
1 Anne Stewart ( Atlantic ) |
42:20 |
2 Elizabeth Potter ( Boxer ) |
42:23 |
3 Ingrid Koster ( Nedbank ) |
44:11 |
60-69 |
1 Judy Bird ( Boxer ) |
43:51 |
2 Grace de Oliveira ( Maxed Elite ) |
46:16 |
3 Karen Brough ( Boxer ) |
49:58 |
70-PLUS |
1 Nancy Will ( Pinelands ) |
52:23 |
2 Winnie Koekemoer ( Gaut . North Masters ) |
59:28 |
3 Margaret Roscuoe ( Athloleng ) |
1:11:39 |
Images : Reg Caldecott , Micheal Sheehan / Gallo Images