Glenrose Xaba gunning for whopping sixth national half-marathon title in a row

Glenrose Xaba will chase her sixth national half-marathon title in a row for Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) as part of a star-studded field at the ASA Road Running Championships in Namakgale, Phalaborwa, on Saturday.

Men’s defending champion Elroy Gelant will also be among the pre-race favourites in the half-marathon that is incorporated into the F21 Half-Marathon.

Xaba was the first South African home over the 21.1km distance at last year's national championships in Gqeberha, finishing fourth overall in 1:13:42. Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) athlete Cacisile Sosibo was fifth, in a time of 1:13:51. She is likely to once again be Xaba’s strongest challenger.

Gelant, who overcame tough conditions to win the SA men’s title in Gqeberha last year, will be joined in the line-up by Athletics Central North West (ACNW) teammate Thabang Mosiako, also a former national champion. 

They are up against a field that also includes in-form athlete Bennet Seloyi, representing Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA).

Xaba holds the national marathon and 10km records on the road, as well as the  5 000m and 10 000m records on the track. The multi-talented star is also eyeing ranking points in her bid to qualify for the track 5 000m and 10 000m at the World Championships in Tokyo in September.

The ASA Road Running Championships will also be key to national marathon record holder Gelant’s build-up to the world champs. He has made clear his ambition to grab a podium finish at the Tokyo showpiece, after finishing in eleventh place in the marathon at the Paris Olympics.  

Both he and Xaba will be hoping to bounce back from disappointing fifth-place finishes at the recent Absa Run Your City Durban 10K, however. 

In Saturday’s 5km event, the men’s line-up includes Jerry Motsau, a former national 3 000m record holder on the track, who will represent ACNW. Motsau is facing a field that also features Andries Sesedi, a former SA 10 000m champion, and his CGA teammate Chris Mhlanga.

A strong Western Province Athletics (WPA) team will also be confident of putting up a fight with the likes of Bruce-Lynn Damons and Ashley Smith in their ranks.

Among the women, a tight contest is expected between some of the country’s top middle-distance runners. The AGN squad will be led by Karabo More and Simonay Weitsz, but they will have to hold off an expected challenge from Zanthe Taljaard, running in the colours of Athletics Vaal Triangle.

In the men’s mile (1.609km), national record holder Ryan Mphahlele will turn out for CGA as the firm favourite for gold. The AGN team will be looking to dominate the women’s race, spearheaded by the likes of Carmie Prinsloo and Carina Swiegers.