Over N100m will be on offer as prize money at the 10th Okpekpe international 10km road race which holds on Saturday in Okpekpe town, Edo state.
The top five finishers in each gender category for the international elite field as well as for the Nigerian elite runners will battle for the prize money.
Winners in each gender category will go home with $15,000 while second and third place finishers will be rewarded with $8,000 and $5,000 with fourth and fifth going home with $3,000 and $2,000 respectively.
For the Nigerian elite athletes, a top prize of N500,000 will go to the winners of each gender category. Second to fifth place will be rewarded with N300,000, N200,000, N120,000 and N80, 000 respectively.
Athletes who set an African/World record will be eligible for a special award of US$5,000 and US$2,000 for the Okpekpe race course record setter.
The performance must be an improvement on the existing African/World and Okpekpe Course record in 10km. Performances that equal the existing African/World and Course record will not be eligible for the bonus award.
The Okpekpe race 10km course record stands at 28 minutes and 28 seconds (28:28) for men set last year by Daniel Simiu Ebenyo and 32 minutes, 41 seconds (32.41) set in 2014 by Ethiopia’s Wude Ayalew.
The African record for men which is also the world record is 26 minutes, 33 seconds (26:33) set by Kenya’s Rhonex Kipruto in 2020 while another Kenyan, Agnes Jebet Ngetich holds the African nay World record for women at 28 minutes, 46 seconds (28:46) set in January 2024 in Valencia, Spain.
Meanwhile, Pamodzi Sports Marketing, organizer of the historic race says they are ready to organize an Okpekpe road race that befits its Gold Label status.
A World Athletics Label denotes high standards in event organisation, application of the World Athletics Rules and Regulations and in particular the Competition and Technical Rules among other requirements.
Race director, Zakari Amodu, promised that the event would live up to its billing as one of the prestigious road races in the world.
Amodu said, ‘Everything is set for a good race on Saturday. We have covered all grounds necessary for a good race. We have all the materials we wanted for effective doping control including a doping station at the finish area in Okpekpe.
‘What we are waiting for is just for the race day to be here so that we can put into practice all we have been doing in terms of keeping to the requirements,’ said Amodu.
