Glenrose Xaba smashed the national marathon record on debut, blazed through city races with course records, and seemed destined to carry her momentum onto the grandest stage of all, the World Senior Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
But just when fans expected her to line up on the global start line, Xaba surprised everyone by deciding to pull out.
The 30-year-old has confirmed she won’t represent South Africa at the World Athletic Championships from 13–21 September, despite qualifying.
It’s a decision that has left the athletics community stunned, as if the nation’s fastest woman over the marathon distance had stepped off the track mid-race.
Storming Form, Sudden Withdrawal
Xaba’s announcement came just moments after she broke the tape at the Hollywoodbets Durban 10km, clocking 31:34. It was just two heartbeats shy of her own national record.
She not only claimed R37,500 in prize money but also rewrote the course record, adding yet another feather to a cap already heavy with recent victories at the Spar Women’s 10km and the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10km.
Lesotho’s Neheng Khatala (31:44) and Kenya’s Fridah Ndinda (33:05) gave chase but were left watching her back disappear down the finishing straight. And yet, instead of celebrating another commanding win, the headlines were all about her withdrawal from Tokyo.
“It was not an easy decision,” Xaba admitted afterwards.
“I was excited when I qualified last year, but my manager told me I’m not strong enough yet. My manager said I’m still a baby in marathons… Yes, I qualified, but we didn’t do the program.”
Playing the Long Game
Xaba’s choice, made after talks with her manager Lee-Roy Newton and her coaching team led by Caster and Violet Semenya, may puzzle fans but follows a clear philosophy: don’t sprint before the gun, and don’t tackle a hill before you’ve built the legs for it.
Her debut at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon (2:22:22) last year was electric. It was a record-breaking run that lit up South African distance running. But it was also, in her words, premature.
“The stage is too big, and it needs a lot more preparation,” she explained.
It’s the classic runner’s dilemma: when you’ve surged ahead of the pack, do you keep pushing into uncharted territory or ease back to conserve for the miles ahead?
Critics vs. Caution
Some believe Xaba is missing a golden opportunity. She holds the national crowns in the 10km, half marathon, and marathon. It’s a trifecta that makes her the undisputed queen of South African road running.
With such pedigree, critics argue, why not test herself against the world’s best in Tokyo?
But Xaba and her team insist the gamble isn’t worth the risk. Jumping from a track-based program straight into the high-mileage grind of marathon training could derail her progress.
In marathon terms, she may have crossed 30km comfortably, but the last 12.2km, the cruelest part of the race, demands a different engine.
Dreams Deferred, Not Denied
If Xaba’s marathon ambitions are on pause, her desire to compete on the track remains unshaken.
She admits she longed to qualify for the 5000m or 10 000m to feel the thunder of a World Championships stadium.
“I was desperate to qualify for the 5000m or 10 000m to experience that atmosphere,” she said.
“But I fell short.”
Falling short, though, is relative. In the past year, Xaba has built a résumé most athletes would dream of: record runs, high-profile victories, and consistency that has made her the standard-bearer for South African women’s distance running.
Eyes on the Future
In choosing patience, Xaba has shown the same tactical nous that wins races: knowing when to surge and when to hold back.
Right now, she is content to bide her time, sharpening her speed on the roads and building her strength for the marathon distance.
Like any runner eyeing a personal best, she knows the importance of timing. To go too hard too soon risks blowing up before the finish line. To wait, however, is to preserve the possibility of a stronger, more lasting kick when it matters most.
For now, Glenrose Xaba continues to dominate local roads, stacking up victories as if they were training intervals.
Her absence in Tokyo may feel like a missed split, but in the bigger race of her career, she is pacing herself for the long haul.
And when she does finally take her place on the global start line, she’ll be ready on her terms.
Women’s Top 10 Results
1 Glenrose Xaba 31:43; 2 Neheng Khatala 31:53; 3 Fridah Ndinda 32:35; 4 Irvette Van Zyl 32:52; 5 Karabo More 33:00; 6 Karaboá Mailula 33:11, 7 Nthabiseng Letokoto 33:13; 8 Cacisile Sosisbo 33:19; 9 Ntsoaki Molahloeá 33:48; 10 Malineo Mahloko 34:17
FIND FULL RESULTS DURBAN 10 KM HERE:
