The 31-year-old Boxer athlete and current South African 10km record holder, Glenrose Xaba, became the first Black South African to win the Spar Grand Prix Series three times when she romped home to victory in the Jozi 10km Challenge in October, her feats celebrated at the annual Spar Women’s 10km Challenge Grand Prix Awards in Midrand, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, 11 November 2025.
Xaba, who is preparing for the Valencia Marathon in Spain on 7 December, was proud to be the first Black South African to win three Grand Prix titles.
“I hope young Black girls will be inspired by what I have achieved. I think they will see what I have achieved and believe they can do it too.”
2025 Grand Prix Awards Winner, Glenrose Xaba
“I want to thank my coach, Violet Semenya, and my mentor, Caster Semenya, who both believed in me and helped me to develop as an athlete,” said Xaba.
Three other runners, René Kalmer, Irvette van Zyl, and Ethiopian athlete, Tadu Nare, are the only other runners to achieve the treble. Xaba won her first title in 2017 before the series was opened to international athletes, winning again in 2024 and 2025.
Xaba earned significant winnings as the Spar Grand Prix Series champion for being the first South African runner and for having won all five races in the 2025 series.
Also in the winnings were two Ethiopian Nedbank runners, second-placed Diniya Abaraya and the third-placed Salem Gebre. Karabo Mailula (Tuks) finished fourth as the second-most successful South African, ahead of rising star Karabo More (Boxer).
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The junior section was won by Chanell Groenewalt with a total of 37 points ahead of her Boxer teammates, Wiepke Schoeman and Taya Pelser in second and third, with 35 and 29 points respectively.
Janie Grundling (Peak Performance) won the 40-49 age group division with 20 points ahead of international athlete Olga Firsova in second with 19 points, and Lebo Phalula (Boxer) in third place with 10 points.
Elizabeth Potter (Boxer) came first in the section for runners between 50 and 59 with 40 points, claiming the division title ahead of Anne Stewart (Atlantic) and Janene Carey (Boxer) in third.
The evergreen unbeaten Judy Bird was the top runner in the 60+ years section with 40 points, Maxed Elite runner Grace de Oliveira in second, followed by Gail Baruch (Savages).
Original Copy: BLS Communications, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: The 31-year-old Boxer athlete and current South African 10km record holder, Glenrose Xaba, pictured with Ethiopians bronze medalist Salem Gebre (left) and the silver medalist Diniya Abaraya (right), became the first Black South African to win the Spar Grand Prix Series three times when she romped home to victory in the Jozi 10km Challenge in October, her feats celebrated at the annual Spar Women’s 10km Challenge Grand Prix Awards in Midrand, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, 11 November 2025. All Photos: Reg Caldecott / Spar
Photo 2 Caption: Xaba became the first Black South African woman to win three annual titles of the popular women’s 10km road-running series.
Photo 3 Caption: Xaba was the undisputed champion of the 2025 series, winning each of the five races in this year’s Spar Grand Prix series.
