Defending champion Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) will be putting her best foot forward at the Cape Town SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge on Sunday March 30, at the start of her campaign to become the fourth runner to win the SPAR Grand Prix three times.

Sixteen-thousand runners will take part in the Cape Town SPAR “sold-out” race, which is the first of the five races making up the SPAR Grand Prix series, in which Africa’s elite runners compete for valuable points. The winner of the SPAR Grand Prix will take home R200 000. The runner-up will receive R100 000, and the third placed athlete will win R75 000. This, of course, is additional to the substantial prize money for each individual race.

There are additional rewards on offer for South African runners. The South African woman with the most SPAR Grand Prix points will receive an additional R100 000, the second placed South African R70 000 and the third placed South African R50 000.

Junior runners will once again be eligible for an overall prize, with the results of three races counting. The top junior will win overall prize money of R10 500 with the results of three races counting.

As well as the substantial prize money on offer, one lucky entrant at each race stands to win a Hyundai Exter SUV, valued at R269 900. The winner must be over 18 years or older and hold a valid driver’s licence.

Good news for Discovery members is that they can earn valuable Vitality points at each race.

In 2024, Xaba became the first South African runner to win the prestigious SPAR Grand prix since it was opened to international athletes in 2019. She was also the last South African winner, in 2018. The other three-time winners are Rene Kalmer, Irvette van Zyl and Ethiopian Tadu Nare.

“Winning the SPAR Grand Prix has been a dream and a goal that I’ve had for many years,” said Xaba.

“And to have won it twice is a career highlight for sure. To be referred to as a defending champion is surreal.

“For South African women, this opens the path again for us to fight to keep winning this series because we are more than capable of doing so.

“I thank SPAR for taking care of women athletes through this series, not only financially but to be able to compete in a women’s only race series is terrific for us women,” she said.“This year, I aim to remain injury free and have a healthy season. I look forward to running the SPAR Grand Prix series again and fighting for that top spot.”

Xaba is in good form. She started the year by winning the 10 000m at the AGN Track and Field Championships in 31:56. But she can expect some tough competition in the five races that make up the SPAR Grand Prix. Others taking part include Ethiopian runners and former SPAR Grand Prix runners-up Diniya Abaraya and Selam Gebre, as well as newcomer Tsihay Gebru, who has a personal best of 32:09.

Exciting news is that Russian born, former Czech runner, Olga Firsova, now registered in Australia, but a permanent South African resident living in Stellenbosch, has entered the race, showing that the SPAR Grand Prix is not just for African athletes. Firsova recorded 33.19 in New York last year making her a firm contender for a top ten position on Sunday.

Kenyan athlete, Fridah Ndinda will be running her maiden SPAR Grand Prix race in Cape Town in the Nedbank colours. The East African athlete ran a career best 32.25 in 2022 and last year in the ABSA Gqeberha 10km she clocked 33.18 making her a title contender.

Local runners who will give Xaba a run for her money include Van Zyl (Hollywood Bets), and Boxer teammates Cacisile Sosibo, and the evergreen Phalula twins, Lebo and Lebogang.

Xaba’s mentor, former 800m world and Olympic champion Caster Semenya, will also be taking part. Last year, she entered her first ever 10km race in the Tshwane SPAR Challenge and finished in 10th position.

The course for the Cape Town race starts and ends at the Greenpoint Stadium. It provides an ideal low altitude route with gentle ascents and descents, taking away the monotony of a purely flat route.The other races are in Durban on June 22, Tshwane on August 2, Gqeberha on September 27 and Johannesburg on October 5.