Glenrose Xaba made her international marathon debut with a strong top-ten finish at the 2025 Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich, ending a storming professional season on a high note in Spain on Sunday, 7 December 2025.
Xaba crossed the finish line in sixth place, a bare 60 seconds slower than her marathon personal best, recorded when she broke Gerda Steyn’s time to set the new South African marathon record at the Cape Town Marathon, on 20 October 2024.
After the South African road running champ came down with flu earlier in the week, Xaba’s coach, Violet Semenya said they had thought of withdrawing, “But she said no! I was happy to see her trying to push those splits, and try to chase that SA record,” said Semenya.
“I’m so happy she got her first top ten finish at her first international, even if she was not one hundred percent.”
“I’m so happy to see her running her first international debut marathon, which was very tough,” said Semenya. “Marathon is something that can challenge your mind, and everything in you. So being a marathon runner, it’s not child’s play. You can be fit, and your body can say no. But I’m glad she finished, she’s finished what she has started.”
Joyciline Jepkosgei led pre-race favourite Peres Jepchirchir home in a class of their own for a one-two Kenyan finish in a race new record time, shaving just under a minute off Ethiopian Amane Beriso’s 2022 time.
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The two African runners crossed the finish line more than 5 minutes ahead of Chloe Herbiet from Belgium, who completed the podium as Europe’s top finisher, while Meritxell Soler finished in a respectable ninth place for the best finish by a Spanish runner.
Leading Women’s Results at the 2025 Valencia Marathon
Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) 2:14:00
Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) 2:14:43
Chloe Herbiet (Belgium) 2:20:38
Alisa Vainio (Finland) 2:20:48
Jessica Stenson (Australia) 2:21:25
Glenrose Xaba (South Africa) 2:23:22
Isobel Batt-Doyle (Australia) 2:23:35
Lonah Salpeter (Israel) 2:23:45
Meritxell Soler (Spain) 2:23:49
Natasha Wilson (Great Britain) 2:24:22
Main Photo Caption: Glenrose Xaba made her international marathon debut with a strong top-ten finish at the 2025 Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich, ending a storming professional season on a high note in Spain on Sunday, 7 December 2025. Photo: CS Training Group
Photo Caption: Xaba crossed the finish line at 2:23:22 for sixth place in a race dominated by Kenyans Joyciline Jepkosgei and Peres Jepchirchir. File Photo: CS Training Group
