'I want to win the Grand Prix' - Xaba downs Tadu in memorable victory at SPAR TSHWANE 10KM

For the first time in over two years, Tadu Nare lost a SPAR Grand Prix race today. May 2022 was the last time Nare was beaten and it took a World Championships bronze medalist to do it. Namibia’s Helalia Johannes, who took bronze in the marathon at the 2019 competition in Doha, produced 31:53 to beat the Ethiopian in Gqeberha on the 28th of May, 2022. Since then, the three-time SPAR Grand Prix champion has dominated the women’s 10km road running series, winning every single race she has contested - until today.

Today, Glenrose Xaba ushered in a new era of South African female distance running. Taking on the pre-race favourite who had narrowly beaten her during the Durban leg of the Grand Prix series at the end of June, Xaba knew that she would have to give it everything to win the TSHWANE SPAR WOMEN’S 10KM CHALLENGE - a victory which she secured in dominant fashion.

Xaba celebrates victory at SuperSport Park in Centurion and takes one step closer to winning the overall 2024 SPAR GRAND PRIX. Photo Credit: Reg Caldecott.

"I don’t have words. I’m very excited," she told the media during the post-race press conference as a broad smile lit up her face. "I was well prepared. I just focused on my race and decided to skip the Phalaborwa 21km last weekend because I usually like to do that 21km before coming to SPAR Tshwane. So I came to the race with the mindset that I want to be in the top three or win it."

And Xaba did just that thanks to a telling surge at the 6km mark which left the the 2:17 marathoner without a response. The Boxer Athletic Club top runner built her lead over the final 4km of the undulating course to eventually crossed the finish line in 32:53 which ended up being more than two minutes ahead of the Nedbank Running Club’s Nare (34:53), while Cacisile Sosibo took third (35:21). The diminutive Xaba who set a new SA Record when she ran 31:12 at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on 7 July, says that run and the encouragement of her coach Caster Semenya made her believe that she could win.

Xaba and Nare go shoulder to shoulder after breaking away from the rect of the pack. Photo Credit: Reg Caldecott.

"The confidence was there, but I was a little bit scared because I know that Tadu is very strong when it comes to the hills. She has a lot of speed. So I needed to just focus and push very hard and maintain. My coach Caster was always telling in training that I need to be strong and finish very strong. I can start very fast but I need to be strong in the end. Fortunately God gave me the power to win the race today."

The victory means that Xaba who won in Cape Town in the absence of Nare, was second in Durban and won in Tshwane holds a commanding lead at the top of the overall Grand Prix points table with just two race to go in Gqeberha on 21 September and Jozi on 6 September. SuperCharger is now poised to become the first South African to win the coveted Grand Prix title since 2018, when she herself won it. 

"This year I want to win the Grand Prix since I was the one who won in 2018. It would be a great achievement for me if I can win it and bring it home. in 2018 when I won the Grand Prix I also won SPAR TSHWANE. So I think history is repeating itself," she smiled.