11 countries, 60 Foreign Marathoners to Participate in Okpekpe Race

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Sixty foreign marathoners, from 11 countries, are expected to participate in this year edition of the Okpekpe 10km road race in Edo slated for May 13.

The Director of Organisation, Mr Zackery Moudu, at a press briefing in Benin City, disclosed this, noting that the expected foreign athletes are Gold label.

He said it was part of strategies to make the road race get a Gold label.
According to him, this year edition, which is the 5th edition, had been improved upon technologically, to curb the issue of cheating as well as enable fans of the athletes to monitor the performance of their athletes.

Moudu who listed some of the expected countries to include Kenya, Morroco, Eritea and Ethiopia, also said some athletes from Europe and Asia countries would be participating in the road race.

He also said as part of plan to improve on the standard of the race, accreditation of the expected athletes and other participants, would commenced two days before the race, instead of the usual one day race plan.

The Director of Organisation said lot of awareness was going to be created for the 5th edition of the Okpekpe road race.

“It is going to be a week long event and the aim is to create much awareness for the race.
“We however expected our foreign participants for the race to start arrive the country on May 11, while accreditation will take place from May 11 to May 12, instead of the usual one day to the event.

“We also want to use this race to work towards achieving Gold label for the race, for this reason, most of the athletes we expecting for this race are Gold label,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Edo state Deputy Governor, Mr Philip Shaibu, who was at the briefing, appealed to sport men and women to shun the use of performance enhancing drugs for sporting activities.

He said sports is all about discipline and said integrity must be brought into it by avoiding cheating through the use of drug.