"I just missed it" - Xaba clocks 31:17 to win Gqeberha SPAR just five seconds outside SA Record
A week after running the second fastest time of her half marathon career, SA 10km record holder Glenrose Xaba produced the third fastest 10km clocking of all-time to win the Gqeberha leg of the SPAR Grand Prix. Xaba clocked 31:17 to finish just five seconds outside her won SA Record and four seconds behind the 31:13 run by the great Elana Meyer back in the year 2001.
"I was not sure that I was on record pace while I was running, but with 50m or 100m to go I saw I was within that time, and when I crossed the finish line, I was disappointed because I just missed it. The route was very fast, and I think it can produce multiple records in future,” Xaba said who also won the 2025 edition in 31:57.
The annual SPAR Grand Prix consists of five races, starting in Cape Town, before heading to Durban, Tshwane, Gqeberha with Johannesburg being the last race. After finishing as runner-up to Tayla Kavanagh in the opening race of the series in Cape Town in March and winning last month’s SPAR TSHWANE Women’s Challenge in a new course record, Xaba has leapfrogged Kavanagh on the points table and is well-positioned to win the overall SPAR Grand Prix Series for a fourth time.
"I led from the gun because this was only my third race in the series this year and I'm chasing points, so I'm glad everything went according to plan."
Finishing behind Xaba in a new personal best was her training partner and Boxer athletic Club teammate Karabo More. The African 1500m champion fought hard in the closing stages to reel in Ethiopia’s Selam Gebre of the Nedbank Running Club, taking second place in 32:21, with the Ethiopian hanging on for third in 32:33. The top seven finishers all dipped under 33:30, achieving bonus points in the Grand Prix series standings.
The final leg of the 2026 SPAR Grand Prix takes place at Marks Park in Emmerentia, Johannesburg on Sunday 4 October. Xaba who has collected 59 points for two victories and a runner-up finish, goes into the race knowing that a top ten finish should be good enough for her to win her third consecutive SPAR Grand Prix title even if Kavanagh, who has forty points from two wins, does line up and win the race.
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