Gqeberha is primed for a record-breaking dash as the sold-out SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge hits the Summerstrand shoreline this Saturday.
All eyes will be on defending Grand Prix queen Glenrose Xaba, who has already sprinted to three consecutive victories this season and leads the series pack by five points.
Like a runner eyeing the tape with daylight behind her, Xaba is chasing a place in history, aiming to become only the third South African after René Kalmer and Irvette van Zyl to clinch three SPAR Grand Prix crowns.
“I think I can be a role model for black girls,” she says.
“I hope they can see my success and believe they can be successful too.”
But her stride won’t go unchallenged. Ethiopia’s Salem Gebre and Diniya Abaraya, along with rising Tuks flyer Karabo Mailula, are expected to push the pace.
Diniya Abrahaya
Meanwhile, Pietermaritzburg champion Tayla Kavanagh, fresh off a sizzling 31:53 personal best, could be the surprise sprint down the home stretch.
The race, starting and finishing at Pollok Beach, offers one of the flattest, fastest, and most scenic circuits in the series—perfect terrain for fireworks on the stopwatch.
Beyond the finish line, the SPAR Women’s Challenge continues to carry a heavier baton. With every step, the race champions women’s empowerment, health, and the fight against gender-based violence, while also driving SPAR’s bold campaign to end period poverty by 2030.
In Gqeberha this weekend, it won’t just be about chasing fast times, it’ll be about running toward a future where every stride carries the power of change.
