Xaba eyes World Champs track qualification despite road dominance

GLENROSE Xaba is still hoping to qualify for the 5 000m and 10 000m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September, although the marathon remains a viable option for the in-form road and track star.

- ROWAN CALLAGHAN

Xaba revealed her ambitions for the global athletics showpiece after storming to victory in the Durban leg of the SPAR Women's 10km Challenge on Sunday, clocking 31:54. The Boxer Athletics Club ace made light work of the challenge posed by Ethiopian duo Diniya Abaray (32:09) and an out-of-sorts Selam Gebre (32:25), who settled for second and third respectively.

The holder of the SPÅR Grand Prix title — and early favourite to retain it this year — took control of the Durban race shortly after the 7km mark. Her rivals could not live with her searing pace over the closing stages and ultimately finished well behind.

It was Xaba's second win of this year's series, having already claimed the opening leg in Cape Town.