East Africa vs SA as Top Runners to clash again at Totalsports Women's Race in Johannesburg

After claiming a memorable victory over Tadu Nare in the TSHWANE leg of the SPAR Grand Prix, Glenrose Xaba will be looking to come out on top again when she lines up against the Ethiopian’s teammate and training partner. Xaba will start as the favourite for the final instalment of the Totalsports Women’s Race which will be run in Johannesburg on Saturday.

But a week after that resounding win in the nation’s capital, the Boxer Athletic Club top runner could only manage third place (29:26) at the Cape Town leg of the Totalsports Women’s Race on Women’s Day. The race was won by Kenya’s Christine Njoki (28:30) who triumphed over Nare (28:31) in an exciting sprint finish. Xaba though, who lives and trains at altitude in Pretoria, believes that she holds the advantage ahead of the race which takes place on a hilly route on the north western fringes of the Johannesburg CBD.

Njoki, Nare, Xaba and Abaraya (junior) go head to head in the streets of Cape Town during the Totalsports Women's Race. Photo Credit: Mark Simpson.

"I won’t be doing a long run during my training this week, unlike before the Cape Town race," she shares. "My focus in Cape Town was to secure a top-three finish and have a good race - I wasn’t expecting a win. The Totalsports Women's Races are well-organized, and the vibe is good. These races are mentally challenging with very tough competition, but winning one shows you have real courage. My goal is to win the Totalsports Women's Race in Johannesburg this Saturday, especially since I missed out on the race last year."

Standing between the newly minted SA 10km record holder and her second 10km win this Women’s Month is Diniya Kedir Abraya who took fifth (30:22) during that race in The Mother City, which had to be shortened to 9km because of a building fire on Sir Lowry Road. As a member of the Nedbank Running Club’s supported development training camp in Ethiopia and under the guidance of coach Belay Hagos, Abaraya who secured a 4th place finish in Durban on Sunday, 4 August, says she is eager to compete in Johannesburg, where she hopes to improve her time. 

"It’' been a very successful and rewarding experience," says Abraya. "The competition was strong in both races, but the wind did slow us down. I really enjoyed racing alongside such a large crowd of women in two well-organized events. It’s incredible to compete with so many women. In Johannesburg, I’m aiming to run a strong race and take the win."

Over 7000 runners and walkers took to the streets of Ethekwini for the Totalsports Women's Race in Durban on 4 August. Another sell-out field in excess of 10 000 participants is expected in Johannesburg on 17 August. Photo Credit: Tim Hay.

"We're incredibly proud to be wrapping up the 2024 Totalsports Women’s Race series in Johannesburg, the final chapter of what has been a remarkable journey across three major cities," says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports. "This series is not just about competition; it’s a celebration of women's strength and resilience, and a powerful platform to support PinkDrive."

The race takes place at Marks Park in Emmerentia on Saturday 17 August starting at 8am. After 7500 women took part in Durban, 12 500 in Cape Town, a record-breaking field of over 10 000 is expected to take to the streets of the City of Gold.