Glenrose Xaba: The South African History Maker

There was eruption and fireworks in Cape Town as we expected at this year’s 17th edition of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon as debut Glenrose Xaba went into history books, smashing the National Record and added salt to injury by crashing the race course record and as if not done yet, thrashed the fastest woman on the entry list and the 2016 Rio Olympic marathon champion, Mare Dibaba Hurssa from Ethiopia.

The 29-old who is also the South African 10km record holder with a time of 32:12, led a contingent of eight elite athletes as they went through the 30km mark and then at the 36km she made a bold move of pulling away from the leading group to take charge of the race.

The striking Dibaba who had made calculations to make the move at 40km, lived to her desires as she took charge of the race but the silent killer (Xaba) composed herself and waited patiently, reserving her energy as she used her (Dibaba) as a second pacer, secretly sharpening her claws and ready to attack as the Ethiopian thought the underdog has had her fame.

The hour of reckoning came and the tigress got wild and to Dibaba’s surprise, the kick was more than what she had anticipated and she was left in awe with no energy for response but to reserve her body for next year as her body had received enough strokes and it seemed the beating was not going to stop any time soon.

Xaba who was born and raised in Govan Mbeki in Mpumalanga province and whose international dream started eleven years ago in Bydgoszcz, has just made a statement to the entire world of road running that she is coming to share the pie with best in the Universe.

Xaba who is a ten times South African National champion, erased the previous record of 2:25.44 set three years ago by Lydia Simiyu from Kenya with a New course record time and personal best of 2:22.22. This winning time also made her to become the first South African woman to win the marathon since 2010.

Dibaba who is also the 2015 World Marathon champion, crossed the finish line in second place in 2:22.36 with Pascalia Jepkogei from Kenya finishing in third place in a new personal best of 2:22.49 which was also under the old course time.

“I’m very excited about my debut. At 33km I felt that now I’m running more than I used to run but I kept my focus because my pacemaker was there,” said Xaba.

The new queen in town said she will run 5km race for her club and then take a deserved rest and wait for the new season.

“My focus now is to run the 5km for my club, Boxer Super Run in Pretoria on November 10 before I can take a well-deserved rest,” She concluded.

In the men’s category it was an Ethiopian affair as Abdisa Tola Adera broke the course record beat his compatriot and the defending champion Adane Kebede Gebre when he cut the tape first in a new course time of 2:08.16 with Gebre coming second in 2:08.32. Mitku Tafa Dekeba finished third in 2:10.10

LEADING RESULTS

42KM WOMEN

1. Glenrose Xaba            (RSA) 2:22.22 (NR, CR)
2. MareDibaba               (ETH) 2:22.36
3. Pascalia Jepkogei       (KEN) 2:22.49

LEADING RESULTS

42KM WOMEN

1. Abdisa Tola Adera       (ETH) 2:08.15 (CR)
2. Adane Kebede Gebre  (ETH) 2:08:32
3. Mitku Tafa Dekeba      (ETH) 2:10:10