Caster Semenya, the former double Olympic gold medalist and World 800m champion, who participated in the opening leg of the 2025 Spar Women’s 10km Grand Prix Challenge in Cape Town on Sunday, expressed confidence in Prudence Sekgodiso’s potential to succeed at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.
Sekgodiso recently made history by becoming the first South African woman to win 800m gold at the 2025 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China. The 23-year-old's impressive performance in the 800m final showcased her blend of strategy and speed.
After finishing in a credible 14th place in the 10km race with 16 000 participants in a time of 36:28, Semenya shared her belief that Sekgodiso has the talent to shine on the world stage.
She (Sekgodiso) is in great form, and if she continues working hard, she can win a world title. It’s all about focus, maintenance, and the hunger to succeed. If she sustains this, I’m confident she’ll have a strong shot at becoming a world champion.
Semenya, who was mentored by Samuel Sepeng, the same coach guiding Sekgodiso, advised the young athlete to embrace her own identity and avoid comparisons.
Prudence is not me; she is herself. She needs to stay true to who she is and not be pressured by outside voices. Everyone is unique, and there will never be another Prudence or another me.
Meanwhile, defending Spar Grand Prix champion Glenrose Xaba clinched victory in the opening 10km race in Cape Town, despite a tough challenge from Ethiopia's Selam Gebre. The race, held in Green Point, began under clear skies after overnight rain.
Xaba, who pushed the pace from the start, was accompanied by Gebre and another Ethiopian, Meseret Fita, as they broke away from the pack. However, Lebo Phalula made an impressive surge, narrowing the gap to the leaders at halfway.
As the race progressed, Xaba and Gebre remained in contention, with the South African ultimately pulling away in the final kilometre to finish first in 33:13. Gebre crossed the line just five seconds later in 33:18. Karabo Mailula, Xaba's training partner, finished third in 33:33, marking her first podium appearance in the Spar Grand Prix series. Cacisile Sosibo finished 4th in 33:35.
Phalula claimed victory in the Over-40 category, finishing fifth overall in 34:14, just 13 seconds outside her own South African veteran’s record.
Ola Firsova, a former track athlete from Russia now residing in Stellenbosch, made a solid debut in the Spar Grand Prix, finishing in 34:52. The 41-year-old, who is now focusing on road racing, expressed satisfaction with her performance, noting her position in the top 10 among 16,000 participants.
Even though it was difficult, I'm happy with my time. I'm proud to be the second 40-year-old to finish in the top 10. This is just the beginning, and with the right training, I can definitely get closer to 31 minutes.
The race was delayed by 30 minutes due to safety concerns, which affected some athletes’ performances.
Xaba, who holds the South African 10km record of 31:12, admitted that the late start impacted her race.
My muscles were stiff, and my body didn’t respond well, but I’m happy with the win.
Gebre, who had recently finished second at the Rome Marathon, felt the wind was challenging but was pleased with her result, she added.
The next race in the Spar Grand Prix series is in Durban on 22 June, followed by Tshwane on 2 August, Gqeberha on 27 September, and Johannesburg on 5 October.
