Xaba smashes SPAR Tshwane course record as she takes a step closer to defending Grand Prix title

Glenrose Xaba believes she will be able to defend her Spar Grand Prix title. The Boxer Athletics runner secured her first win of the Spar Women’s Challenge in Tshwane this year, beating Ethiopia’s Selam Gebre and Kayla Jacobs. The Supercharger won the race in 32:28 to beat the course record set by Namibia’s Helalia Johannes in 2019 by one second. Gebre who was with Xaba until the 6km mark crossed the finish line in 34:10, while Jacobs clocked 34:21 for her second SPAR podium finish of the season after taking third in Cape Town.

All smiles for Xaba after winning the SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane agains as she did in 2025. Photo Credit: Reg Caldecott.

“I am very happy about how the race went. It went the way I had trained,” she told the media during the post-race press conference. “The strategy of the race was to try run very fast and get a bonus point. I am happy to be back in Tshwane for the race after missing Durban.”

The Boxer Athletic Club top runner missed the KwaZulu-Natal edition after receiving an international invitation to compete at the prestigious Peachtree 10km race in Atlanta where she earned tenth place in 32:20. She says being invited to the competition is an indication that she is doing well in her discipline.

Xaba flanked by runner-up Gebre and third place Kyla Jacobs. Photo Credit: Reg Caldecott.

“I missed Durban because I was in Atlanta where the field was packed with world class athletes. They were very fast. I am just happy that I was part of the field. Getting the invitation means I am working hard,” she says.

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. Last year, Xaba became the first black South African woman to win the overall Grand Prix title three times and is chasing her fourth crown this year. The 31-year-old missed out on the gold medal in Cape Town after Tayla Kavanagh out-sprinted her in the final kilometre. The victory in the nation's capital (where she also earned 10 bonus points for running under 34:40) leaves the national 10km record holder on 59 points which is just one point adrift of series leader Kavanagh. She says winning the Tshwane edition was important to tally up the points for the Series.

18 000 runners and walkers took part in the 10km and 5km at the 2026 SPAR Women's challenge in Tshwane. Photo Credit: Reg Caldecott.

I am looking forward to having a good series and maybe try defend my title. I know it won’t be easy, it will be challenging but because I like competition I am looking forward to having great races in what remains of the series. I will be in Port Elizabeth but it will be challenging because that race is  week after the World Road Running Championships (Denmark) where I will be doing the 21km and travelling back. Now the focus is on training for the World Champs half marathon,” Xaba explained.