Local star breaks Ethiopian athlete’s winning streak in Centurion
The Tshwane SPAR Women's 10km Challenge produced a surprise in Centurion on Saturday when a local star from Pretoria beat the Ethiopian runner who had dominated the series for the past three years.
Local star athlete and current SA 10km champion, Glenrose Xaba, not only broke Ethiopian athlete Thad Nare’s winning streak in the Tshwane SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge on Saturday in Centurion, but also became the first local athlete in six years to win the race.
Ironically, Xaba herself was the previous local Pretoria athlete to win this race, when she also did it in 2018. Before her, Irvette van Zyl (2017) was the last local woman to win the Tshwane SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge, before international stars such as Helalia Johannes (Namibia – 2019) and Nare (2021-2023) dominated the race.
Xaba (Boxer) stormed to victory on Saturday at SuperSport Park in 32:53 minutes.
Tadu Nare, the Ethiopian runner and defending SPAR Grand Prix title holder, was second, finishing two minutes after Xaba. It was Nare’s first defeat in the SPAR Challenge Series since 2019.
On your marks, Get set , Go!!
Tshwane SPAR Women’s Challenge incorporating the SPAR Grand Prix🔥🔥#ChooseYou pic.twitter.com/Ll9me8BQaS
— SPAR Grand Prix (@SPARGrandPrix) August 3, 2024
Cacisile Sosibo (Boxer) was third in 35:21.
Double Olympic Games gold medallist Caster Semenya (Masai) finished tenth, in 37:14.
Xaba and Nare ran side by side until about seven kilometres, when Xaba surged into the lead and never looked back.
In Durban last month, Xaba broke Elana Meyer’s long-standing South African 10km record by one second, with a time of 31:12. Meyer’s record had stood for 23 years.
“I am very excited to have beaten Tadu. I was very well prepared for this race and I was very focused. I won the SPAR Grand Prix in 2018, and I want to win it again. I know Tadu is very strong on the hills, but my coach is always telling me to finish strongly. I thought I would make my break at eight kilometres, but at six I was feeling good and decided to go for it,” said Xaba.
Nare said she had not been feeling well but decided to run anyway.
“I am so happy for Glenrose, who has shown so much growth. I am in good condition – my stomach problems were just a coincidence. I will be running the last two races in the series,” Nare remarked.
Sosibo said she was very happy to be on the podium after being one of the most consistent runners in the SPAR Grand Prix series.
The energy today was electric ⚡️ Thank you to the amazing Angelique vd Linde for energetic warm-up before the race 🌸💪 #ChooseYou #SPARWomensTshwane pic.twitter.com/GRCyNDRzdb
— SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane (@SPARWomensPta) August 3, 2024
“I am also very pleased with the way I ran this race,” she said.
The race also produced two other very special achievements. Two athletes from the Boxer club, Janene Carey and Ronel Thomas, both ran their 100th SPAR Challenge race on Saturday. Only two other runners – Sonja Laxton and Grace de Oliveira – have achieved this milestone before.
They both said the SPAR Women’s Challenge races were as hard as South African nationals.
“The Tshwane SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge is my favourite in the SPAR Grand Prix. I love the SPAR races because they are for women, and because of the great vibe,” said Thomas, a local Pretoria athlete.
According to Thomas, she cannot remember where and when she ran her first race in the SPAR Grand Prix, but she is grateful that she was able to run her 100th in her home city.
Always time for a selfie at the #SPARWomensTshwane 😁#ChooseYou pic.twitter.com/cM0vo82kmi
— SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane (@SPARWomensPta) August 3, 2024
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