The inaugural Boxer Super Run Joburg went according to script, with pre-race favourites Ryan Mphahlele and Glenrose Xaba reigning supreme in the Elite Wave of the 5km race, now fast becoming a national favourite.
Winners in the Durban leg of the race last month, Mphahlele and Xaba won their respective races at a packed Marks Park Sports Club in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, where the elite men and women race separately.
Mphahlele executed his plan perfectly, going hard from the start. The Olympian’s experience showed as he fended off a brave challenge from youngster Musawenkosi Mnisi to cross the line in 14 minutes 20 seconds. Mnisi, who runs for the Boxer Athletic Club, eventually finished third after being overtaken late in the race by club mate Bennett Seloyi.
Xaba, meanwhile, dominated from the outset, claiming her third successive Boxer Super Run victory. The Boxer Athletic Club starlet finished in 16 minutes 14 seconds, adding to wins at last year’s Tshwane event and October’s Durban race.
The battle for second place saw the highly experienced Neheng Khathala of Hollywood Athletics Club get the better of Xaba’s training partner, the young and upcoming Karabo More.
After the race, Mphahlele said: “The plan was to go hard from the start, maintain the pace, and keep the lead. Musawenkosi Mnisi showed up.
“He caught me on the up-hills, but I saw he was reluctant to make a move. I just wanted to keep him at bay because he looked strong. He was the toughest challenge today, and of course Bennett Seloyi at the end. I had to sprint because he was coming in strong.”
He added: “It feels good to claim gold today.
“I’ll be back next year. The Boxer Super Run is fun. I am glad they have the social runners’ event as well, to get the running community more involved. It’s not just about the elite athletes; the social running group is a big community, so thank you to Boxer and Boxer Athletics Club for organising this amazing meeting.”
Xaba, who appeared to have cruised to victory, revealed the race was more testing than it looked.
“The race was tough. From 2km to 4km, it was really challenging. Only at the 4km mark did we start to go downhill.
“I’m glad I was able to run a good time on such a tough course. My race plan was to go out hard from the start. I also have speed, but my strategy today was to test my preparation for the Valencia Marathon. If I can run this time on a tough, high-altitude course, it shows that I’m in good shape.”
Reflecting on her season, Xaba added: “Everyone I compete against is strong and fast.
“I can’t take anyone lightly. They also want to be where I am. Every time I train, I focus on myself; I compete against myself.
“I’m proud to win today – it shows that my hard work is paying off. One of my goals was to win all the races in the different cities – Durban, Tshwane, and Joburg – and I’ve achieved that. I’m very happy … This is my home, and I’ll definitely be back next year!”
