World Athletics has hailed Pamodzi Sports marketing, organisers of the world class Okpekpe international 10km road race for its positive contributions to road running in the world.
The world governing body for the sport also recertified the status of the race as a gold label event following the reclassification of label road races in 2024 into four categories viz World Athletics Label, World Athletics Elite Label, World Athletics Gold Label and World Athletics Platinum Label.
In a message on the certificate of classification of Okpekpe’s status as a gold label race, World Athletics thanked the organizer and partners of the race for supporting the event and road running generally.
‘World Athletics is grateful to your organisation and partners for the continuous support you give to road running,’ wrote the world governing body on the certificate.
Okpekpe international 10km road race is the first world class road race to hold in Nigeria following its classification as a bronze label race in 2015, eight years after World Athletics began the classification of road races in the world.
The Okpekpe race is the first to have its course measured by a World Athletics certified course measurer and the first to become a member of AIMS.
Zack Amodu, the race director, says the Edo state government and its sponsors/partners made the Okpekpe race the best in the West African sub-region and certainly unrivalled in Nigeria.
‘This honour belongs to our sponsors and partners as rightly acknowledged by World Athletics. Without them, we would not have become the first label road race in West Africa.
‘We say thank you to the government and people of Edo state who provided the enabling environment including the road for the race, Nigerian Breweries, brewers of Zagg energy malt drink and Amstel Malta, our CSR partner, Petralon Energy, Development Bank Plc, Dan Oil as well as our broadcast partners Supersport and African Independent Television, AIT. The media also deserve a special mention as they have projected Okpekpe, a rural community, host town of the race, to the world and has helped make Edo state a destination for sports,’ said Amodu.The 10th edition of the race will hold on May 25 this year and Amodu says it will be the best ever yet.”We know we keep raising the bar with every edition and our recertification as a gold medal race is a confirmation of that but we are determined to make the 10th edition really special, it will be a celebration of 10 years of excellence.’
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