Glenrose ‘Supercharge’ Xaba has steadily risen to the top of South African distance running over the past decade, currently holding national records over 10km and the marathon and having surpassed her role-model, Elana Meyer, over both distances.

Xaba has enjoyed outstanding success on the SPAR Grand Prix circuit, the country’s premier women’s 10km road series, and when she triumphed in the high-profile five-city 10km series last year, she joined an elite group of just three other runners who have won the title on three occasions.

Rene Kalmer, Irvette van Zyl and Ethiopian Tadu Nare are the other three to have done so and Xaba has her sights set on becoming the first athlete to win on four occasions.

“The SPAR Grand Prix has become very important to me,” said Xaba, who has flourished under the coaching mentorship of Violet and Caster Semenya. “I’m feeling strong and looking forward to achieving good results in 2026.”

“I am very proud to be the first black South African to have won (the SPAR Grand Prix) three times. I hope my achievements are an inspiration to young girls living in poverty as I was, who see what I have done and believe they can do the same.”

Visa challenges have prevented Ethiopian athletes Salem Gebre and Diniya Abaraya, runners-up in Cape Town in 2025 and 2024 respectively.  In their absence several leading South Africans have the ability to make Xaba work hard for victory.

While Karabo Mailula, also part of the Semenya stable who finished third in last year’s Cape Town leg, and Durban’s Tayla Kavanagh look best placed to challenge Xaba, don’t discount evergreen Irvette van Zyl, who is also in line for a fourth series title this year.

Xaba’s Boxer teammates, Karabo More and Cacisile Sosibo, will also challenge for podium positions.

The Cape Town race is the first of the five races that make up the SPAR Grand Prix. The others are in Durban, Tshwane, Gqeberha and Johannesburg. 

Prize money for the SPAR Grand Prix has been increased to a whopping R2 mil. The overall winner will take home R210 000, the second-placed runner R105 000 and the third placed runner will receive R80 000.  Prize money for the age categories has also been increased, with the overall winner receiving R11 000 and the runner-up R8 000.

In addition, there are incentives for the top five South African runners, with the top South African receiving R110 000, and the second R75 000.  The fifth placed South African will take home R21 000. This is in addition to the money they win in the main competition. 

Not only will the Open category be competitive, but the other age group categories (Juniors, 40-49, 50-59 and 60 plus) promise to deliver top times.

Defending SPAR Grand Prix junior champion, Chanel Groenewald (Boxer) will be favourite in the junior race.

Local running star Anne Stewart (Atlantic AC) will be hoping to cross the line first for the second consecutive year in the 50-59 category but will be challenged by 2026 series winner Elizabeth Potter (Boxer).

Judy Bird (Boxer) is favourite to defend the 60+ title but will be challenged by 70+ world and South African record holder Margie Saunders (Nedbank).

The Cape Town SPAR Women’s Challenge starts in the shadows the iconic DHL Stadium and the 18 000 – strong field will enjoy spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean and Robben Island as the run the long flat straight alongside the Sea Point Promenade. They will also pass the Green Point Lighthouse on their way to the finish at the Green Point Common fields.

The race gets underway at 06h45 on Sunday.

The post Glenrose is ‘Supercharged’ for Cape Town’s SPAR Grand Prix season opener appeared first on Sports Network Africa.

From Potchefstroom to New York is a matter of degree. 101 degrees of longitude separate the cities but more relevant to South Africa’s distance-running super-star, Adriaan Wildschutt, was the 30 plus degrees Celsius which marked the temperature gradient between the two cities which recently played host to Wildschutt.

The favourite son of Ceres, a Western Cape ‘dorp’ at the heart of the country’s fruit industry, Wildschutt is poised on the cusp of significant sporting and literary success.

Wildschutt is fast becoming one of South Africa’s most successful athletes of all time, chalking up national records and international titles almost at will. And there is little doubt that his autobiography, due to be launched in May, will become one of the most popular sporting books of 2026.

“I definitely want to read his autobiography when it launches in May – we all do!” enthused television anchor, Toni Yates, on the live broadcast as Wildschutt broke from the lead pack in the final quarter of last week’s New York City Half Marathon.

Wildschutt raced through the ‘Big Apple’ in a bracing 1 to 2 degrees Celsius shortly after returning from a South African summer, where he trained for five weeks in the Northwest Province’s Potchefstroom in temperatures in excess of thirty degrees.

“I thought maybe the cold was going to get to me.  But coach (Jack Mullaney) made sure I had all equipment I needed – arm sleeves, gloves and a hat – and it turned out really great,” Wildschutt reflected.

Wildschutt’s winning time of 59:30 in the 19^th edition of the race is the third fastest in the history of the event, behind Abel Kipchumba (59:09 in 2025) and Haile Gebreselassie (59:24 in 2007). And Kipchumba was one of the elite field unable to stay with Wildschutt as he wound up the tempo over the final 5km.

Remarkably, Wildschutt’s time in just his second half-marathon was not his fastest. The South African shattered Stephen Mokoka’s previous national half marathon record of 59:36 with a swift 59:13 in Valencia, Spain, in October last year.

“I was so happy (at the finish) that I was done,” Wildschutt said. “It’s only my second half marathon and first time in New York. The goal was just to run hard and I was so stoked that I was able to feel really strong as I know it’s not the best to come to the finish when you’re exhausted.”

‘Queen of distance running’, Kenyan Hellen Obiri, added the New York City Half Marathon title to that of the NYC Marathon she won last November, winning in a course-record of 1:06:33. Obiri broke from her compatriot, World Cross Country Champion, Agnes Ngetich, in the final quarter to win by 37 seconds ahead of another Kenyan and past NYC Marathon winner, Sharon Lokedi. 

While lacking the prominence of its ‘big brother’ of twice the distance, the NYC Half Marathon is equally competitive up front and Wildschutt’s victory against many of the world’s elite is comparable with the triumphs of fellow-South Africans Willie Mtolo and Hendrick Ramaala at the 1992 and 2004 New York City Marathons.

The elite NYC 21km field included American track star, Grant Fisher, making his road-running debut, and top Kenyans Patrick Kiprop and Abel Kipchumba.

“It was great having Grant (Fisher) in the race – obviously a world class athlete – and I wanted to be sure to work off of him tactically,” Wildschutt reflected. “But although I’m still pretty inexperienced on the road, having raced a couple of road races as a professional athlete definitely helped me.”

How did Wildschutt’s race at New York compare with his impressive half marathon debut at Valencia and how would he rate his performance there?

“I would say the weather was nice at Valencia, not too hot or cold, whereas New York was very cold – just 1 degree at the start of the race,” Wildschutt continued. “So the NYC Half Marathon win would probably rank as one of my best, just behind my 10 000m at the Paris Olympics which I rate as my all-time best performance, considering the whole experience of the Games.”

Wildschutt currently holds national track records over 3000m, 5000m and 10 000m as well as in the half marathon and it can only be a matter of time before he challenges Maxime Chaumeton’s road records over 5km (13:12) and 10km (26:55).

While based in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he is a prominent member of the HOKA Northern Arizona Elite squad, Wildschutt’s heart remains in Africa. “I’m very grateful for the amazing support I received on the NYC Half Marathon, not just from Ceres but from the whole country,” Wildschutt emphasised.  

And it’s no surprise he has chosen to return to South Africa in May for the launch of his autobiography, ‘Change of Pace’.  

“I hope you will all enjoy it,” Wildschutt posted recently. “And thank you so much for all your support – it means the world. Thank you, Lord, that my story can help others see their own potential regardless of circumstances.”

Results:  New York City Half Marathon

Pro Men

1. Adriaan Wildschutt (RSA) — 59:30
2. Zouhair Talbi (USA) — 59:41
3. Gulveer Singh (IND) — 59:42 

Pro Women

1. Hellen Obiri (KEN) — 1:06:33 (Event Record)
2. Sharon Lokedi (KEN) — 1:07:10
3. Megan Keith (GBR) — 1:07:13

The post Adriaan Wildschutt runs hot in freezing New York conditions appeared first on Sports Network Africa.

Matchday 14 of the FUFA Women Super League got underway on Saturday with two exciting fixtures. Table leaders Kawempe Muslim made a cross town trip to Luzira to face She Maroons while Champions Kampala Queens made travelled far East in Soroti to take on Olila.

Kawempe Muslim needed to fight back and salvage a point against a resolute She Maroons with the game ending in a one-all draw.

Midfielder Kauthara Naluyima aka Digo struck early in the 13th minute to fire the Prison Sentries into an early.

However, Kawempe fought back in the second half to find the equalizer through forward Latifa Nakasi.

The result means Kawempe lead the table on 33 points, one ahead of She Corporate who host Lady Doves on Sunday at FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru.

In Soroti, Zaitun Namaganda’s lone strike was the difference as Kampala Queen secured a 1-0 win over Olila High School.

Namaganda has been in fine form since the start of the second round, scoring four goals in three games.

The win means Kampala Queens stay third on the pile on 28 points, five behind table leaders Kawempe Muslim.

In the other games lined up on Sunday, Asubo Ladies host Amus College, Uganda Martyrs entertain Makerere University while Rines SS visit St. Noa Girls.

The post Kawempe slip up, Kampala Queens win on the road appeared first on Kawowo Sports.