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South African 10km record holder Glenrose Xaba is on a mission to join Tadu Nare, Irvette Van Zyl, and Rene Kalmer as the most successful athletes in the history of the Spar Women’s 10km Grand Prix Series.
Her campaign begins tomorrow at Green Point Stadium, which will host the first of five races in the series, when the gun sounds at 07:00.
With the overall points leader claiming a grand prize of R200,000 and a brand-new car, Xaba, the 2018 and 2024 champion, is the favourite to defend her title but will face strong competition from the likes of Cacisile Sosibo, the Phalula twins, and Ethiopian and Kenyan runners.
"The preparations have been going well, and I’m excited to compete in the Spar Ladies Grand Prix this year. My goal is to defend my title and secure a third victory," she told SABC Sport.
"I feel refreshed, motivated, and ready to give my best. Hopefully, the conditions will be ideal for a strong race. I’m healthy, happy, and have been eagerly anticipating the start of the road running season since the beginning of the year."
Caster Semenya, the multiple Olympic 800m gold medallist and coach of Glenrose Xaba, has confirmed her participation in tomorrow’s race.
After exploring the idea of competing in 10km events last year, she is set to feature more prominently in this year’s series as one of the headline athletes.
Semenya aims to make a significant impact throughout the competition, with the stage set for thousands of runners – both young and old – ready to hit the streets and showcase their road-running talents.
