'I still have a bigger goal' - One last 2025 box to tick for Xaba as she pockets over R500k at SPAR Grand Prix Awards

South Africa's road running superstar, Glenrose Xaba is ending her year on a high after pocketing over half a million Rand at the season-ending SPAR Grand Prix Awards yesterday (11 November). Xaba, not only became the first South African to win all five legs of the Spar Women's Challenge, she is the first black South African woman to win three Grand Prix times.

Glenrose Xaba was crowned the 2025 SPAR Grand Prix champion at SPAR Grand Prix Awards held in Midrand, Johannesburg on Tuesday 11 November 2025. Photo Credit: Reg Caldecott.

The top runner who hails from the Mpumalanga town of Secunda, won R215 000 for winning all five 10km road races across four provinces and earned an additional R300 000 bonus for winning the overall Grand Prix title after collecting 120 points top top the leaderboard. The 30-year-old says she's happy to have been able to achieve most of her goals this season.

"My year went very well, according to the expectations (I had). I was expecting to maintain the standard that had last year and I can say I have achieved the standard that I had set," she said reflecting on winning her second consecutive SPAR Grand Prix title.

The top three finishers of the 2025 SPAR Grand Prix are from left Salem Gebre (Ethiopia) in third place, winner Glenrose Xaba (South Africa) and third placed Diniya Abaraya (Ethiopia). The 2025 SPAR Grand Prix Awards were held in Midrand, Johannesburg on Tuesday 11 November 2025. Photo Credit: Reg Caldecott.

"At the beginning of the year I told myself that I want to defend my title and I did. I also got bonus points to win five out of five. I have achieved the maximum goals that I set. But I still have a bigger goal to achieve, I am looking to break my SA record in the 42km in Valencia. That would complete my season, then I would be able to say I have achieved ten out of ten," says Xaba.

The Supercharger is confident that her Valencia Marathon preparations are well on track. Xaba will be taking to the streets on 7 December in Spain. "My preparations for Valencia are going well so far, I can't complain about anything because the support is there for me, from my physios, coach, and recovery at Power2Health. They have all been there to make sure that I get the support I need. They have kept my body fit physically and mentally because the marathon takes a lot, and it's very hard. Marathons are also very hard to prepare for," she explains.

Rhyn Swanepoel, Manager of the Boxer Athletics Club and Glenrose Xaba were the big winners at the 2025 SPAR Grand Prix Awards held in Midrand on Tuesday 11 November 2025. Boxer was named Athletics Club of the 2025 SPAR Grand Prix Series whilst Xaba won the coveted Athletes title for the third time, the first black South African to win three titles. Photo Credit: Reg Caldecott.

Meanwhile Boxer Athletics Club Manager, Rhyn Swanepoel says they have to start thinking about the next middle distance runner who can take over the baton from Xaba should she decide to completely move away from 10km races to focus on the marathon. 

"Everyone plays their part. Karabo More is going to be the future. We have to now start looking into next year, if Glenrose starts looking at shifting her focus to maybe the marathons, who is going to take Glenrose's place? We have to start looking at it in that now. We have Karabo Mailula at Tuks, Karabo More is there and Tayla Kavanagh is also there. I am working on what we, as Boxer AC, have done to compensate. Glenrose will still do the SPAR races next year but will she do all five? That is for her to decide and we support her," says Swanepoel.