Xaba and Mosiako reign supreme in record-breaking championship

GLENROSE Xaba continued her reign as the queen of the 21.1km, storming to her sixth victory in the ASA Half Marathon Championships - and doing so in record-breaking fashion.

- MATSHELANE MAMABOLO

Xaba completed the race in 1:10:03, breaking the course record held by former world record holder Elana Meyer and finishing more than three minutes clear of Lesotho’s Neheng Khatala, who was second in the open race in 1:13:28.

Cacisile Sosibo took the silver medal in the national championship contest in 1:15:14, while Samantha Coetzer secured bronze in 1:22:52.

The 13:00 start time did little to slow her down in the sweltering Phalaborwa heat as she erased one of South Africa's longstanding road-running records.

Xaba, already a household name in South African athletics, shattered the women’s 21km course record previously held by the legendary Elana Meyer, a feat that adds another golden chapter to her growing legacy. For Xaba, this was not just about crossing the line first - it was about making history.

“The weather was very hot,” she admitted after the race.

“At least it was not like last year where it reached 40 degrees Celsius. Today was a bit lower, about 36, and the humidity was not as bad as before. But it’s still tough racing in these conditions”

Tough, indeed — but Xaba thrives on challenge. Breaking Meyer's record was not just a physical triumph but an emotional one too.