Focus Shifts to Okpekpe as Next Host of a Gold Label Race 

Global focus has now shifted to Okpekpe, in Edo State, Nigeria as the next host of a World Athletics gold label road race in the world after the Türkiye İş Bankası Istanbul Half Marathon held in Istanbul, Turkey at the end of last month.

The Okpekpe  International 10km Road Race  which holds on May 25 is the 23rd of the 45 World Athletics gold label races listed to hold this year in the calendar of World Athletics and like in previous years, it will be the only label road race to hold on the day irrespective of the label category.

Pamodzi Sports Marketing International,  organisers of the race says this year’s edition is a celebration of 10 years of organising a truly world-class event that has made Nigeria one of the destinations of sort for sports, especially road running events.

“We are proud of the big step we took in 2015 to make the Okpekpe 10km road race the first to get World Athletics’ recognition in West Africa with our bronze label status.

“We are super delighted the effect we have had in getting more road races in Nigeria get World Athletics’ attention and the certification of over 15 road race courses in Nigeria by World Athletics accredited course measurer,” the Race Director, Zack Amodu observed yesterday.

Amodu is confident the Okpekpe 10km road race will continue to blaze the trail in Nigeria nay West Africa and believes the support of the host community, the race’s partners, the Edo State government in particular and the officials, especially the volunteers who work to organize the race that has continued to be recognized and applauded by World Athletics in the past nine years have been the motivating factor to keep setting the bar high.

“The elite cast has been one of the best any gold label race could have and the result is that some of these elite athletes have gone on to become medalists at World Athletics sponsored global events as we saw last year when Daniel Ebenyo, the Kenya who owns our course record won a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary and the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia.  

“He is also the number one ranked athlete in World Athletics ranking for 10,000m and 10 kilometres,” concludes Amodu.