Tadu Nare congratulates Glenrose Xaba for ending her Grand Prix series dominance

Xaba was officially crowned the 2024 Grand Prix champion after winning four of the six races over the weekend.

Coached by multiple Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya, Xaba reclaimed the title for the first time since 2018.

She outpaced Nare in consecutive races in Gqeberha and Johannesburg, proving her victory was well-deserved.

Speaking to SABC Sport through an interpreter, Ethiopian runner Nare commended Xaba for breaking South Africa’s six-year drought in the series.

Before Nare's dominance, Namibian runner Helalia Johannes had controlled the series, which spans five cities: Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Tshwane, and Johannesburg.

READ: Caster Semenya pleased with Team SA's track and field performance at the Olympics

Xaba earned R200,000 for her series win, R75,000 for being the South African champion, and a brand-new Proton car for her achievement.

"Congratulations to Glenrose! She has been an exceptional athlete right from the start. Even when I came to challenge her, I would tell people that she would be the one to eventually end my reign. Her discipline, consistency, and incredible talent were always clear,” Nare said.

“She works so hard, and I kept encouraging her to give her best. Compared to where I come from, South Africa offers better facilities, and she made the most of that opportunity to secure her victory. Others should take advantage of that too. Glenrose also listened to my advice, and her results speak for themselves. I’m truly happy for her and hope she continues winning more titles."

Nare acknowledged that she had a hectic year and faced challenges in balancing her commitments, but she refused to use that as an excuse for not defending her title, stating that Xaba deserved her victory.

 “I don’t think this year was particularly tough for me; I gave it my all, but I didn’t have enough time to recover, which affected my health. I’m grateful for the outcome. I experienced cramps and stomach pains after transitioning from marathon training to shorter distances. I raced frequently this year, and recovery became an issue,” Nare explained.