GLENROSE Xaba cruised to victory at the 10km road event at the 35th Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge on Sunday, June 22.

Xaba, representing Boxer Athletics Club, was joined on the podium by Ethiopian athletes Diniya Abaraya and Selam Gebre, both in the colours of Nedbank Running Club.

“Over the last two weeks I was racing internationally, and I haven’t had much time to recover, so I’m happy about the time I ran today,” she said.

Xaba, who set a 5 000m personal best of 15:10.62 on the track, in Paris earlier this month won comfortably in a time of 31:54.

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“I’m just blessed to win today because it’s the first time I’ve won the Durban leg of this series. I usually finish second or third, or further back in the top 10, so I’m very happy.”

It was a special race for the top five women who all dipped under 33 minutes in the 10km event with Neheng Khatala of Lesotho taking fourth place while her Hollywood Athletics Club teammate and Hillcrest resident Tayla Kavanagh was in fifth spot.

Elsewhere it was a colourful affair in a sold-out field of 12 077 runners all doing their part for charity while having a good time.

The next Challenge in KZN will take place in Pietermaritzburg on 17 August.

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