Highly rated Boxer Athletics Club ace Cacisile Sosibo, who claimed sixth spot in the first leg of the Spar Women’s 10km Grand Prix in Gqeberha at the weekend, thinks compatriot Tayla Kavanagh will end the foreign dominance in this race. 

Clocking 32:33, Kavanagh was the first South African home as she came fourth on Saturday. Namibian veteran Helalia Johannes (31:53) won the race. The 2019 Grand Prix winner became the first woman in the world over 40 to run 10km in under 32 minutes. Ethiopians Tadu Nare and Selam Gebre claimed the second and third spots, registering the times of 32:11 and 32:23 respectively. Nare is the defending champion.

The 24-year-od Sosibo, who came sixth in Gqeberha, 47 seconds behind Nare, has tipped Kavanagh of Murray and Roberts Running Club to one day topple the foreign runners in this six-legged Grand Prix. Since Glenrose Xaba’s 2018 success, no South African runner has won the Spar Grand Prix.

“I think the runners from outside the country work harder than us. I can say that’s the difference. However, I think Tayla can really challenge them and win the Grand Prix. She has that endurance and timing,” said Sosibo, who hails from Kilmon near Underberg in KZN.

Kavanagh, 21, hailed the presence of international athletes in South African races, saying it helps local runners push themselves. The Durban-born road-running sensation did not read too much into being tipped as someone who will end the foreigners’ supremacy in local races.

“I love having foreign athletes here. They raise the standard and push us South Africans. It’s a tough challenge to compete with them because they’re such a high class. There’s obviously a lot of pressure but I don’t let it get to me. Every time I race, I want to enjoy and think less about other things. At the end of the day, you must enjoy and avoid creating extra nerves,” said Kavanagh.