“South African distance runner Glenrose Xaba has made history by becoming the first athlete to win the SPAR Women’s 10km Grand Prix series four times, securing the landmark achievement after winning the Johannesburg race in 32:26. Her victory at Marks Park Sports Club also strengthened the position of South African women’s road running while Xaba indicated that she intends to concentrate more on longer-distance events and allow emerging athletes such as Karabo More to challenge for future Grand Prix honours.”
Glenrose Xaba makes history with fourth SPAR Grand Prix title
South African athletics has another landmark achievement to celebrate after Glenrose Xaba produced a commanding performance in Johannesburg to become the first athlete to win the SPAR Women’s 10km Grand Prix series four times. Xaba secured the historic title on Sunday, 4 October, winning the final Johannesburg leg at Marks Park Sports Club in 32 minutes and 26 seconds. The result not only confirmed her dominance over the series but also provided an important moment for South African women’s distance running as the domestic road-running season continues to develop.
Xaba entered the Johannesburg race knowing that victory would secure the overall series title. She responded to the pressure with the kind of performance that has become characteristic of her recent SPAR Grand Prix campaigns. Rather than allowing the significance of the occasion to disrupt her concentration, she moved to the front early and maintained control throughout the 10km course.
Her winning time of 32:26 placed her comfortably ahead of her closest South African challenger, Karabo More, who finished second in 33:36. Ethiopian runner Selam Gebre completed the podium in 33:51, while established South African distance runners including Irvette van Zyl and Gerda Steyn also featured prominently in the results.
For Xaba, however, the significance of the day went far beyond the race itself. The 31-year-old Boxer Running Club athlete had already established herself as one of the country’s leading road runners. The fourth Grand Prix crown now places her alone at the top of the competition’s history, moving beyond athletes who had previously collected three titles. SABC Sport reported that the achievement takes her past three-time winners including Van Zyl, Rene Kalmer and Ethiopia’s Tadu Nare.
A season defined by resilience
Xaba’s fourth title is particularly significant because the athlete acknowledged that the beginning of the year had been difficult. Her ability to recover from those challenges and regain consistency demonstrates the physical and mental demands involved in elite distance running.
Winning a 10km race requires much more than speed. Athletes must maintain a demanding pace over the entire course while managing fatigue, positioning, race tactics and the psychological pressure of competing against established rivals. Xaba’s performance in Johannesburg showed that she had successfully brought those elements together when the title was on the line.
Her 2026 campaign included victories in Tshwane, Gqeberha and Johannesburg, while she finished second in Cape Town and missed the Durban race because of international competition. That consistency ultimately proved decisive in the overall standings.
The Johannesburg victory therefore represented the culmination of a season rather than a single successful morning. Xaba had accumulated the results needed to put herself in position for another championship, but she still needed to deliver in the final race. She did exactly that.
More emerges as a potential successor
One of the most interesting developments from the Johannesburg race was the performance of Karabo More. Finishing second in 33:36 gave More another strong result and reinforced suggestions that she could become one of the athletes capable of challenging for future Grand Prix honours.
More has now demonstrated that she can compete near the front of the series. Her second-place finish followed another runner-up result in Gqeberha, indicating that she is developing the consistency required to challenge for major domestic titles.
Xaba herself has identified More as a potential future winner. That is particularly notable because Xaba says she does not intend to pursue a fifth SPAR Grand Prix title next year. Instead, she plans to concentrate more heavily on the half-marathon and marathon distances.
Her decision could create an important transition within South African women’s road running. For several seasons, Xaba has been one of the dominant figures in the Grand Prix series. Her move towards longer races could provide younger athletes with opportunities to take greater responsibility and compete for the top position.
A changing focus for Xaba
Although Xaba is stepping away from the immediate pursuit of another Grand Prix title, her ambitions in athletics remain considerable. The decision to focus on longer distances represents a natural progression for an accomplished 10km runner.
The half-marathon and marathon require different preparation and tactical approaches. Training volume becomes increasingly important, while athletes must develop endurance and the ability to maintain an efficient pace for significantly longer periods. For Xaba, the experience accumulated through years of high-level 10km competition could provide a strong foundation for this next stage.
SABC Sport reported that Xaba intends to focus on the half and marathon while participating selectively in some 10km races as she manages recovery from longer-distance competition.
That approach could eventually open another chapter in her career. South Africa has a long tradition of producing internationally competitive marathon and ultra-distance runners, and Xaba’s decision suggests that she is interested in testing herself in events where endurance rather than short-distance speed becomes the defining factor.
More than a race
The Johannesburg event also carried a broader social message. Road running has increasingly become a platform through which women’s sport can address issues beyond competition, and this year’s SPAR event again highlighted concerns surrounding gender-based violence and women’s safety.
The race included tributes to women who have died as a result of gender-based violence. Gerda Steyn, who finished seventh, said the event was a tribute to women affected by violence and specifically reflected on the death of Elizabeth Moselakgomo.
This dimension adds significance to an event that already attracts elite athletes and large numbers of recreational runners. Women’s road races can provide an environment where elite sport, community participation and social awareness exist alongside one another.
SPAR South Rand Human Resources Director Noni Xaba also reiterated the company’s commitment to initiatives addressing gender-based violence and period poverty.
For athletics, such partnerships are important because they help connect elite competition with wider social objectives. A major road race is not only about the athletes crossing the finish line; it can also create visibility for issues affecting women and girls across South Africa.
The significance for South African athletics
Xaba’s victory arrives at an important point in the South African athletics calendar. The country’s road-running programme continues to provide opportunities for established professionals, emerging athletes and mass-participation runners.
The SPAR Grand Prix has become one of the important platforms for women’s road running in the country. Its structure gives athletes repeated opportunities to compete against strong domestic and international opposition, while the series also creates a pathway for younger runners to measure themselves against established champions.
The Johannesburg results illustrated that depth. Behind Xaba and More, Gebre finished third, while Esther Borura, Van Zyl, Karabo Mailula, Steyn, Kyla Jacobs, Emma Browne and Dirbe Dagne completed a competitive top 10.
Such depth matters because sustained success in athletics depends on more than one superstar. South Africa needs a strong group of athletes capable of competing domestically while progressing to international competition. The emergence of More alongside experienced runners such as Xaba, Van Zyl and Steyn suggests that the country’s women’s distance-running scene continues to possess significant competitive strength.
Looking beyond the fourth title
Xaba’s fourth Grand Prix championship is therefore both an achievement and a turning point. She has reached a record that no previous athlete has achieved, but instead of immediately targeting another championship, she appears ready to pursue a different challenge.
Her decision could benefit the wider sport. By moving towards the half-marathon and marathon distances, she can test another side of her ability while creating room for athletes such as More to establish themselves. The transition also gives South African athletics an opportunity to watch a new generation develop while one of its established champions enters a different phase of her career.
The possibility of future competition between Xaba and younger athletes remains particularly intriguing. As Xaba continues to develop over longer distances, her experience could provide a benchmark for athletes coming through the ranks.
For now, though, the record belongs to her.
With a winning time of 32:26, Glenrose Xaba closed the SPAR Grand Prix campaign exactly as a champion should: at the front of the field and in control of her own destiny. Her fourth championship has added another significant chapter to South African athletics history, while her decision to move towards longer distances promises another storyline for the country’s road-running community.
The immediate achievement is clear. Glenrose Xaba is now a four-time SPAR Women’s 10km Grand Prix champion — the first athlete to reach that milestone.
