Glenrose Xaba showcases dominance in 10 000m race in Cape Town

Glenrose Xaba once again confirmed her versatility as a middle-distance star at the weekend, following up her recent Spar Women’s Challenge win on the streets of Cape Town with the defence of her national 10 000m title on the track in the same city.

Xaba dominated from start to finish at the ASA 10 000m Championships that were incorporated into the Cape Milers Club ASA Grand Prix meeting at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town on Friday.

The Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) ace lapped every other athlete in the field on her way to victory. She completed the 25-lap race in a time of 31:40.13, securing her eighth national senior title over the 10 000m distance.

Cacisile Sosibo took second place in the colours of Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) in 33:38.68, and Karabo Mailula (AGN) was third in 34:12.78.

The race went according to plan for Xaba. She was happy to have run a season’s best time.

“I knew that the competition was not there because I know my girls, they can’t go fast, they reserve (their energy) for a few laps. So I came with the mentality that I need to push myself and go 76, 75 (seconds per lap) and if I’m strong last lap, maybe to go 74. Unfortunately, I was not able to go 74,” she said, after the race.

“I just need more competition so that I can be able to run fast times.”

Nadeel Wildschutt also defended his national title in the men's contest in the World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger meeting. The Boland Athletics (Bola) distance runner sat back for most of the race before launching his attack with four laps to go. He coasted to victory in 29:10.57.

“I decided to rather just hold back a little and make it strategic and wait until the last few laps to make a move,” he said afterwards.

Cwenga Nose of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) grabbed the silver medal in 29:13.69 and Anthony Timoteus (Bola) held on for bronze in 29:15.99.

Tshepo Tshite also narrowly missed out on breaking the South African record in the men’s 1 500m race. Tshepiso Masalela took the win in a Botswana national record of 3:30.71, with Tshite holding on to secure the runners-up spot in 3:32.03.

Tshite crossed the line just 0.10 seconds outside the SA record of 3:32.02 set by Johan Cronje in Rieti, Italy in September 2013.

Friday’s dominant win for Xaba wrapped up an incredible six days for the defending Spar Grand Prix champion. She had kicked off the 10km road series for women with a win on Sunday last week.

Just like she did on the track, she went out hard from the start on the road in the colours of Boxer Athletics Club but had to dig deep to hold off a challenge from Ethiopia’s Selam Gebre.

Xaba, who holds the South African 10km record of 31:12, eventually secured the win in 33.13. Few would bet against star retaining the grand prix title based on current form, and leaving more rivals in her wake on the track.