Fresh off their golden performances at the Boxer Super Run Durban in October, Ryan Mphahlele and Glenrose Xaba brought their winning form to Jozi – claiming the crowns as King and Queen of the 5km at the inaugural Boxer Super Run Joburg, held at Marks Park Sports Club on Sunday, 9 November 2025.
Mphahlele crossed the finish line first in the ELITE MEN’S WAVE in an impressive time of 14 minutes 20 seconds on a tough course. Bennett Seloyi came in second, while Musawenkosi Mnisi finished third.
“The plan was to go hard from the start, try maintain the pace and keep the lead,” said Mphahlele. “Musawenkosi Mnisi showed up. He caught me on those up-hills. I saw that he was very reluctant to make a move. I just wanted to keep him at bay because he looked strong. I was quite surprised when he fell off the back. He was the toughest challenge today and of course Bennett Seloyi at the end. I had to sprint because he was coming in strong.”
“The Boxer Super Run is fun,” continues Mphahlele. “I am glad they have the social runner’s event as well, to get the running community more involved. It’s not just about the elite athletes; the social running group is a big community. It feels good to claim gold today. I’ll be back next year. Thank you to Boxer and Boxer Athletics Club for organising this amazing meeting.”
The ELITE WOMEN’S WAVE delivered equal excitement, with Glenrose Xaba dominating from start to finish to claim gold in a well-deserved time of 16:14. Remarkably, this marks the third consecutive debut victory for Xaba at the Boxer Super Run – following her wins at the Durban debut in 2023, the Tshwane debut in 2024, and now the Joburg debut in 2025. Neheng Khatala came in second, while Karabo More finished third.
“The race was tough,” said an elated Xaba. “From 2km to 4km, it was really challenging. Only at the 4km mark did we start to go downhill. I’m glad I was able to run a good time on such a tough course. My race plan was to go out hard from the start. Everyone I compete against is strong and fast. I also have speed, but my strategy today was to test my preparation for the Valencia Marathon. If I can run this time on a tough, high-altitude course, it shows that I’m in good shape.”
“Everyone is my competition on the day,” she admits. “I can’t take anyone lightly. They also want to be where I am. Every time I train, I focus on myself; I compete against myself. I’m proud to claim gold today – it shows that my hard work is paying off. One of my goals was to win all the races in the different cities – Durban, Tshwane, and Joburg – and I’ve achieved that. I’m very happy. Thank you, Boxer. This is my home, and I’ll definitely be back next year!”
Catering to the diverse abilities of Joburg’s running community, the Boxer Super Run allowed participants to choose from five exciting start waves: the OPEN WAVE for club and competitive runners, the SUPER SOCIAL WAVE for fun groups and dressed-up teams, the ELITE WOMEN and ELITE MEN’S WAVES for top-tier invited athletes, and a 1km KIDS WAVE to inspire young runners. The event combines fitness with community spirit, offering an energetic atmosphere and great entertainment, making it a lively celebration of movement, health and togetherness.
“The debut of the Boxer Super Run in Johannesburg was an incredible success, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to introduce this exciting event to the city,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports. “Congratulations to Ryan Mphahlele and Glenrose Xaba for your stellar performances in the ELITE MEN’S and ELITE WOMEN’S WAVES. You truly set the pace and spirit for what this event represents. A heartfelt thank you to the thousands of runners who joined us and helped make the first-ever Boxer Super Run Joburg such a memorable occasion. We’re also deeply grateful to our sponsors for their invaluable support and commitment, without which this event would not have been possible.”
Sharing in the excitement of the event, Lee-Ann Pillay, Head of Department: Marketing at Boxer Superstores, praised the runners and celebrated the success of Johannesburg’s inaugural Boxer Super Run.
“We are incredibly proud to have brought the spirit of the Boxer Super Run to Johannesburg for the very first time in 2025,” says Pillay. “This event perfectly reflects what the Boxer brand stands for – community, energy, and the celebration of health and togetherness. A huge congratulations to our ELITE WAVES for delivering an outstanding showcase of talent, and to Ryan Mphahlele and Glenrose Xaba for claiming gold in the ELITE MEN’S and WOMEN’S WAVES respectively. To every runner who joined us – thank you for your support. The energy in Joburg was electric, and we can’t wait to build on this incredible momentum in the years ahead!”
PRIZE PURSE: The Boxer Super Run Joburg boasted an impressive, combined prize purse of R147 200 in 2025. This prize purse was shared across both the Elite Race and the Open Wave. In the Elite Race, the top eight men and women earned prize money, with the winners each claiming a well-deserved R20 000. In the Open Wave, the top three men and women in the Junior, Open, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, and 70+ categories were also recognised and rewarded for their performances.
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Author: Jacky McClean from NEWSPORT MEDIA on behalf of Boxer Super Run.
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