GLENROSE Xaba is an athlete of few words. You can hardly notice the runner from Boxer Running Club in a room packed with athletes.
Xaba, who is coached by renowned Michael “Sponge” Seme, is a shy person.
She prefers to do her talking on the track.
Last year Xaba clinched her maiden Spar Ladies Grand Prix title to collect a cheque of R185 000 and the bragging rights of being the best road running queen in the country.
The Grand Prix is a series ran in six cities – Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, Pietermaritzburg and Joburg.
Xaba was the most consistent athlete of the series and she deservedly finished the season at the top of the table with 104 points.
The 23-year-old won the Pretoria race and secured second place finish on three occasions, while she was disqualified for taking the wrong route at the Pietermaritzburg race. She became the eighth athlete to bag the overall prize. The hard-working athlete has set her sights on defending her title this year.
However, it proves to be a difficult mission to defend the title as the series is growing in leaps and bounds every year.
No athlete has succeeded to defend her title since the inception of the famous ladies road running series.
Popy Mlambo, Mapaseka Makhanya, Rene Klamer, Ivertte van Zyl, Phalula twins Lebo and Lebogang and Kesa Molotsane are the previous winners.
Big names such as van Zyl, who has already hit the ground running by winning the Dischem Half-marathon title last week, is among the favourites to wrestle the title away from Xaba.
Molotsane, who signed for the new kids on the block Murray and Roberts running club, is also among the favourites.
Xaba said: “I want to become the first athlete to defend my title. I’m in the best possible shape to repeat my feat of last year. I started with my gym work and I’m working on my fitness. This is my year to prove that last year’s achievement was no fluke.”
Before the modest runner can embark on her quest to defend her 10km title, she will compete in the 10 000m finals at the SA Senior track and field event on 25-27 April, with the hope of qualifying for the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar in September.
