The 10th edition of the historic Okpekpe international 10km road race will hold on Saturday, May 25, 2024, according to World Athletics.The race, the first road running event in West Africa to get World Athletics recognition, is among the 30 gold level road races listed in World Athletics’ worldwide calendar of global races for 2024.
Overall, World Athletics has confirmed 167 road races for the year and Okpekpe race is the first gold level 10km road race that will hold in 2024.
Zack Amodu, Okpekpe Road Race director, says organizers of the race are happy to have consistently received recognition from World Athletics since it was granted a bronze label status in 2015.
“Since the race made history as the first Nigerian nay West African road running event to be recognized by World Athletics and granted a bronze label status in 2015, it has continued to wax stronger and have grown to a gold level status.
‘This is down to our ability to play by World Athletics rules,’ said Amodu who reveals other reasons why the race has been a huge success.
‘The support we have received from the Okpekpe town and its environs, the people and government of Edo state, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Sports Development and of course our sponsors have been invaluable.
‘Through our sponsors we have been able to make Edo state in particular and Nigeria in general a destination of sorts for Sports.
‘On May 25, the attention of the whole sporting world will be on Nigeria when the race is held. It is the only gold level road race that will be held in the whole world that day which means there will be no divided attention,’ said Amodu who further revealed this edition will also serve as a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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