Glenrose Xaba, a renowned athlete competing for Boxer Athletic Club in red, is targeting a victory in the Mangaung 10K race to achieve success she has yet to secure despite an impressive season.
Despite brilliant performances in the Spar Ladies Series, which she has effectively made her own over the past three seasons, Xaba has not yet managed to win the Absa RUN YOUR CITY series race this year. The runner from Mbalenhle, Mpumalanga province, has also demonstrated high competitiveness in half marathons.
Last year and in previous seasons, Xaba won Absa races multiple times; however, this year she had to watch as athletes from Kenya claimed victories in Gqeberha, Durban, Tshwane, and Johannesburg.
Xaba intends to change this situation by winning the debut Absa RUN YOUR CITY Mangaung 10K race, scheduled for Sunday. Given her current good form, there are strong reasons to believe that the 31-year-old athlete will dominate the course in Bloemfontein, which is positioned as flat and fast.
Since her national record in the 10k distance was recently broken by Tyla Kavanagh, Xaba is very keen to improve her personal best of 31:12. Although she did not state this directly, hints suggest she aims to get closer to the new record of 30:50.
During a press conference before the race, the athlete, trained by legendary Kaster Semenya and her partner Violet, stated: 'I heard the course is flat and fast, and I look forward to giving everything I can, as always. I am in good shape and hope to have a great race. I was close to my PR in Gqeberha, so I would be happy to set a new PR on Sunday.'
Last week, Xaba confirmed her physical fitness by winning the Boxer Super Run 5K in Durban.
Meanwhile, the men's race promises to be an exciting confrontation. Kabelo Mulaudzi is aiming for his second series victory after taking first place in Johannesburg last month. He seeks to capture his eighth title in the RUN YOUR CITY series and looked very confident before Sunday's race, even though Felix Masai Kibet from Kenya announced his intention to beat his personal record.
Mulaudzi stated: 'I feel very good and am ready for Sunday. The competition is tough, but I will try my best. The field must work hard to win.' Kibet, whose personal record is 27:19, was equally firm in his intentions: 'I want to run a PR on Sunday.'
The event is officially sold out, and it is expected that 5000 participants will paint the streets of Mangaung red, as the capital of Free State hosts the popular 10-kilometer race series for the first time.
Michael Meyer, CEO of Stillwater Sports and founder of the series, expressed his enthusiasm for this landmark event. He noted that the debut Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K marks an exciting new chapter for the series, and they are proud of expanding their presence and bringing world-class road running to a new city, giving local fans the opportunity to see some of South Africa's best athletes compete against top international talent.
Meyer anticipates fierce competition at the forefront. He added that the level of the elite field promises a thrilling contest, and they eagerly await Mangaung coming alive as these athletes take to the streets in pursuit of fast times and outstanding performances. They are delighted to make Mangaung part of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series journey and organize a memorable debut event for the city and its running community.