By Isaac Aimurie
After a two-year break, due to the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (Covid-19), all is set for the 10 kilometer international Okpekpe Road Race where athletes will display stamina, grit and track tact to outrun one another for the highly coveted prizes lined up by the organizers.
The streets of Benin City, the State capital, are already hosting colorful posters and billboards of the IAAF Elite label race that will attract local and international athletes to Okpekpe Town, in Etsako East Local Government Area of the State.
Registration is currently ongoing for this year’s outing slated for May 28, which promises to exceed previous editions in profile and the number of participants.
Checks with residents of Okpekpe Town revealed that the people are in high spirits over the return of the road race and are set to add color and cheer the participants to glory, while also positioning their various businesses to serve the needs of athletes, sports journalists, visitors and officials amongst other people that will attend the event.
According to Dunia Ewesor, who is from Okpekpe Town, “visitors will enjoy a great dose of the hospitality of our people in Okpekpe during the event. Our youths have promised to host the visitors to fun sessions that will be provided by our indigenous musicians
“We are the fruit basket of the State and we have a lot in Okpekpe at this time because we are currently in Mango and groundnut season. Afemai land produces the best groundnuts in Nigeria.”
He added: “We commend the State Government under the leadership of Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the private partners of the project. They have turned our hitherto quiet community to a tourist destination and our people are delighted at the socio-economic gains this event has brought to us.”
In a statement, the Race Director, Zack Amodu, assured that a new course record would be set during the annual road race over hills and tarred roads, starting from Apana Road and ending in Okpekpe Town.
“The quality of elite runners for this year’s race is the best so far and this is easy to understand.
“The new elite road race requirements in place since last November make it mandatory for a World Athletics Elite label race to have at least five athletes per gender who have recorded at least the 28:27 standard set for men and 33:07 set for women.
“The standards set are way above the course record of 28:35 set for the men by Ethiopia’s Teshome Mekonen and 32.41 set by another Ethiopian, Wude Ayalew, at the second edition of the race in 2014,” Amodu was quoted as saying.