SA road runner Glenrose Xaba was the big winner at the Spar Women’s 10km Challenge Grand Prix Awards, where she walked away with R500 000 and revealed her plans for the prize money.
Xaba walked away with a handsome R215 000 for winning all five 10km road races in Cape Town, Durban, Tshwane, Gqeberha, and Johannesburg, and pocketed an additional R300 000 bonus at the annual awards in Midrand on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old Boxer athlete also earned 10 bonus points to take her tally to 120 points on the overall leaderboard.
Plan to share the money
Speaking to the media after the event, Xaba said one of her plans is to build herself a house of her dreams.
“The money may be half a million, but it will not all come to me because I have to keep [in mind] all the people who have been assisting me to achieve this goal,” Xaba said.
“There are physios whom I must pay back, coach fees, and the people who have been in my corner pacing me throughout the season, just to say ‘thank you’, because I don’t want a situation where I need their assistance or motivation and they are no longer willing to help.
“I will share my winnings with them, send some home to my family, and put the rest in the bank to buy my dream house.”
Aim was to defend the title
Reacting to her feat of being the first black South African to win the Spar Grand Prix Series three times, Xaba said the aim was to defend her title.
“My year went very well, according to the way I was expecting, because I expected to maintain the standard I gave last year, so I can say I achieved that standard,” she said.
“I told myself at the beginning of the year that I wanted to defend my [Spar Women’s Grand Prix] title, and God answered me; I’ve defended my title.
“I also got bonus points for winning five out of five [races] and being the first black woman to win the Grand Prix—that means a lot to me; I achieved the goals and maximised them.
“I still have a bigger goal to break the records, as I’ve started already—now I’m looking forward to breaking my SA record in the 42km in Valencia, and that will complete my season to make it 10 out of 10.”
