Glenrose Xaba (2nd from front left) aims to achieve a personal best in the Gqeberha 10K, competing against top Kenyan athletes Brenda Jepchirchir and Faith Cherono in what is hailed as the fastest women’s 10km field ever assembled on African soil. Picture: Anthony Grote
Image: Anthony Grote
Glenrose Xaba is excitedly looking to cement her position as the country’s foremost 10km female athlete by having yet another dominant showing in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series starting with this weekend’s season opener the GQEBERHA 10K.
A multiple national record holder, the Boxer Athletics Club starlet won two of the five race series last year and had a podium finish in another in a brilliant season that also saw her capturing the women’s only SPAR Grand Prix 10km title.
She is eager to continue that dominance and has described herself as ready for Sunday’s race in the Windy City whose course she knows only too well and likes. Xaba was third in Gqeberha last year and the national 10km record holder could dip below the 31:50 from last year if not the 31:12 record. Such is the quality of the women’s field assembled for the season opener that it has been described as the fastest ever put together for a race on African soil.
“Being part of such a strong field at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K is exciting and motivating,” Xaba said “When you line up against fast Kenyan athletes and other top runners, it pushes you to perform at your best. I see it as an opportunity to challenge myself and learn from competing at a very high level.”
There is a duo of those fast Kenyans in world leader and sub 30 minute performer Brenda Jepchirchir and her compatriot Faith Cherono. Run any closer to them and Xaba could well realize her goal of running a PB.
"I have great memories from racing in Gqeberha last year and finishing on the podium. This time, I want to improve on that performance. My target is to run a personal best and compete for the top positions again. If I execute my race plan well, I believe a strong result is possible.”
Having only recently run in the World Cross Country Championships in the USA, the lass from Mpumalanga says she has recovered well and is back to competitive fitness.
“The body is feeling good. After the World Cross Country Championships, the focus was on proper recovery, easy mileage, strength work, and physio, before building up intensity again. Training has been consistent, and I feel stronger and fresher each week, which is a good sign heading into the next races.”
IOL Sport