Abuja Int’l Marathon: 32 Foreign Runners Jostle For $110,000 Winning Prize

No fewer than 32 foreign elite runners will chase the $110,000 prize reward in the maiden Abuja International Marathon holding today in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja.

The organisers disclosed this yesterday at the world press conference heralding the event, saying the winners of the male and female categories of the full 42.195 km marathon will smile home with $55, 000 respectively.

An initiative of Unicentral Resources Generation Limited and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCTA) the race, the Abuja International Marathon, is the first of its kind in FCT.

To make it a memorable experience for participants, the race director, Olukayode Thomas, said the race which starts at City Gate and ends at the Car Park behind the Eagles’ Square is in three categories, the full marathon (42.195 km) the 10 km Family Race and the 5km for students.

Thomas revealed that there would be a total closure of the entire route for about 14 hours, from 12 midnight of Thursday, April 28 till 2 pm of Saturday, April 29, 2023.

He said aside from the elite runners, Nigerian secondary schools who are 17 years or below are eligible for prizes to be awarded to winners of the 5km student race in the Abuja International Marathon.

FCT director of sports, Lukas Istifanus said the FCT administration in collaboration with stakeholders are determined to make the race a resounding and memorable moment for the participants.