By the time Glenrose Xaba toes the start line at SuperSport Park on 2 August, she won’t just be chasing another victory—she’ll be sprinting toward legacy.
The reigning queen of the SPAR Grand Prix Series has already blazed through the first two legs in Cape Town and Durban, leaving a trail of scorched tarmac in her wake.
Now, with Tshwane looming on the horizon, Xaba is poised to lace up for what could be a defining third straight win in this year's women-only 10km road running saga.
Like a finely-tuned engine running on confidence and grit, Xaba arrives in Centurion fresh off a record-breaking triumph at the Foskor Half-Marathon, where she stopped the clock at 1:10:03—toppling Elana Meyer’s long-standing course mark and capturing her sixth national 21km crown.
This gives me more confidence and I’m looking forward to having a good race in Tshwane because I want to keep my SPAR Grand Prix title.
I want to motivate black athletes, women and upcoming athletes to know they can achieve anything. The SPAR Grand Prix series is where I started as a road runner. I love the SPAR women’s only races, so to win it again will be a motivation not only for me but for other athletes as well.
But in the high-speed theatre of the Grand Prix, nothing is gifted—only earned in sweat and lung-busting surges.
Rivals on Her Heels
Breathing down Xaba’s neck is Ethiopian dynamo Selam Gebre (Nedbank), trailing by just three points in the overall standings. Gebre, sharp as a spike on the track, will be hunting for an upset and ready to snatch the yellow bib from Xaba’s shoulders.
And the elite women’s pack is anything but passive. Karabo Mailula (Tuks), Ethiopian teammate Diniya Abaraya (Nedbank), and Boxer’s formidable quartet—Cacisile Sosibo, Zanthe Taljaard, Lebo Phalula, and Carina Swiegers—are all poised to pounce should Xaba falter.
Adding further spice to the mix is Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya, the Hollywood Athletics ace Cian Oldknow, and seasoned campaigner Kesa Molotsane, all capable of turning the race into a tactical chess match on legs.
Age is Just a Number
The veterans are also running their own battles within the war. Lebo Phalula, already shining in the open field, has been untouchable in the 40-49 division. Boxer’s Judy Bird is aiming for a third consecutive win in the 60+ category, while Wiepke Schoeman looks to extend her junior dominance. The 50-59 age group remains the tightest of them all, with Anne Stewart holding a slim four-point cushion over Elizabeth Potter—a rivalry as finely balanced as a photo finish.
The Route: No Easy Miles
The Tshwane course is no flat parade lap—it’s a rolling gauntlet. Starting and finishing at SuperSport Park, runners will wind through a patchwork of suburbia and commerce, with the road rising sharply early on, like a question posed to the legs: how much do you really want this?
At 7.3km, the course crests at 1,469 meters—altitude and fatigue teaming up to test every athlete’s resolve. But what goes up must come down, and the final kilometres promise a flying descent back to 1,417 meters, tailor-made for those with something left in the tank.
This isn’t just a race. It’s a crucible of courage, a celebration of feminine strength, and a proving ground for greatness.
For Xaba, a third straight win would cement her dominance. But with the field stacked and the hills unforgiving, she’ll need to run not just with her legs, but with her heart. Because in Tshwane, legends aren't born—they're raced into being.
