‘I almost gave up’: In-form athlete Glenrose Xaba credits Semenya for motivation

Long-distance runner Glenrose Xaba has credited her coaches Caster and Violet Semenya for keeping her in the sport, admitting she had nearly quit for good before enjoying the best season of her life.

Twice in recent years, Xaba had considered giving up her professional athletics career, but with motivation from the Semenyas, she was able to keep pushing.

And she was duly rewarded for her determination this season, winning four national titles, setting a national 10km record at the Absa Run Your City race in Durban (31:12) and becoming the first South African athlete in six years to win the overall series title in the Spar Women’s Grand Prix.

“My pillar of strength is coach Violet. She is always there for me when I’m down,” Xaba said after winning the final leg of the Grand Prix 10km series in Johannesburg yesterday in 32:48.

Caster Semenya’s influence

As much as she had been boosted by Violet Semenya, however, Xaba said she had received even more strength from Violet’s wife, Caster Semenya, who overcame global public and media scrutiny to win two Olympic 800m titles during her stellar career.

“A couple of years ago I had a niggle in my knee, so I was in a space where I needed to be mentally positive and not give up. I was at the point of leaving athletics,” Xaba admitted.

“Last year as well, I was running with a stitch that wouldn’t go away and I went to the doctor, but it wasn’t healing and I almost gave up. But my coaches Violet and Caster taught me I should not give up.

“Caster told me ‘you never saw me give up, even though I faced many hard challenges’. She told me ‘other athletes are looking up to you, and if you give up you show you are weak’.

“Sometimes challenges come to test you so you can pick yourself up and stand up for yourself.”

Xaba will make her highly anticipated 42km debut at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon on 20 October.