Just to make sure that no one could doubt that 2025 was her year, Glenrose Xaba claimed another title this past weekend with her victory in the Joburg Boxer Super Run.

 The organizers of the Boxer Super Run series describe it as “a world class 5km road run, set to captivate entrants, young and old, social, and elite”.

With 5km being the most popular distance globally, the event attracts a diverse range of participants, from seasoned athletes seeking to challenge their limits to newcomers venturing into the world of road running.

The Boxer Super Run series also includes a one-kilometer race for children during each event.

Fresh off their golden performances at the Boxer Super Run Durban in October, Xaba and Ryan Mphahlele brought their winning form to Jozi to claim the crowns as King and Queen of the 5km race at the inaugural Boxer Super Run Joburg, held at Marks Park Sports Club.

Mphahlele crossed the finish line first in an impressive time of 14:20 on a tough course. Bennett Seloyi came in second, while Musawenkosi Mnisi finished third.

The women’s elite race delivered equal excitement, with Xaba dominating from start to finish to claim gold in a well-deserved time of 16:14. She was followed by Neheng Khatala in second place, while Karabo More finished third.

Remarkably, this marks the third consecutive debut victory for Xaba at a Boxer Super Run – following her wins at the Durban debut in 2023 and the Tshwane debut in 2024.

“The race was tough. From the two kilometre to the four kilometre marks it was really challenging. Only at the four kilometre mark did we start to go downhill. I’m glad I was able to run a good time on such a tough course. My race plan was to go out hard from the start. Everyone I compete against is strong and fast. I also have speed, but my strategy was to test my preparation for the Valencia Marathon. If I can run this time on a tough, high-altitude course, it shows that I’m in good shape,” Xaba summed up her race afterwards.

According to Xaba, in a 5km race she does not differentiate between which of the other elite athletes is the biggest threat to her.

“I can’t take anyone lightly. They also want to be where I am. Every time I train, I focus on myself and I compete against myself. I’m proud to claim gold today. It shows that my hard work is paying off. One of my goals was to win all the races in the three different cities and I’ve achieved that,” she explained.

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