South Africa’s top female long-distance runner, Glenrose Xaba, is proving to be a dominant force ahead of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K on April 13, 2025.

The national 10km and marathon record holder showcased her impressive form at the Athletics Gauteng North Championships last weekend, winning both the 10,000m and 5,000m events.

Xaba clocked 31:56.65 in the 10,000m on Friday, followed by a 15:20.00 finish in the 5,000m on Saturday. Despite being the clear favorite, she pushed herself to deliver a strong performance, running the second-fastest 10,000m time of her career.

“It was okay. It helped me to see how far my progress is in terms of my training and fitness. I wanted to challenge myself by running against the time, and I feel blessed to be injury-free.” said Xaba

Her recent victory at the Motsepe Foundation Race for Gender Equality further solidified her status as the runner to beat in Gqeberha. Now, with her sights set on the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES, she is focusing on executing a well-paced race.

“The course is fair enough, All we wish for is good weather on the day of the race. I don’t want to put pressure on myself. My first target is to run an injury-free and smooth race, and then time will come by itself. I am going to run my own race and stay focused,” said Xaba

Wildschutt brothers set for Gqeberha showdown

Adding excitement to the men’s race, Nadeel Wildschutt will be making his Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES debut, aiming to break the 28-minute barrier. His competition includes his brother, Adriaan Wildschutt, who will be chasing Precious Mashele’s SA 10km record of 27:35, set at this very event in 2023.

absa run your city

Xaba’s winning streak sets the tone for Absa Run Your City Gqeberha 10K