In the absence of Kavanagh, Xaba aims to take Grand Prix series lead

As Glenrose Xaba looks to capitalize on her strong performance at the World Road Running Championships, she aims to build upon that momentum at the fourth leg of the Spar Grand Prix 10km series in Gqeberha on Saturday. Both defending champion Xaba and her fellow South African, Tayla Kavanagh, have claimed victories in this year's series, but both athletes have been occupied with other commitments.

Consequently, Cacisile Sosibo, a half-marathon champion, leads the competition after finishing within the top five at the previous three events in Cape Town, Durban, and Tshwane. Kavanagh, who won the previous two races and was second in the overall standings, delivered an outstanding performance in the women's 5km race at the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, setting a new South African record of 14:51.

However, she was not included in the start list for the Gqeberha race and is not expected to compete in the final leg of the series in Johannesburg next week. Xaba, who was third in the standings after her Tshwane victory and second in Cape Town, was set to be the favorite in Gqeberha after finishing 13th in the women's half-marathon race at the World Road Running Championships with a time of 1:07:49.

She expressed confidence in her preparations, stating, "I'm ready for Gqeberha and I'm looking forward to enjoying every kilometre. My preparations have gone well." Despite Kavanagh's absence, Xaba may face competition from other athletes, including Ethiopian runner Selam Gebre, who is currently in fourth place in the series standings, as well as Kyla Jacobs, Karabo Mailula, Karabo More, Zanthé Taljaard, and Irvette van Zyl.