Only gold label athletes to compete for Okpekpe Road Race – Organisers

Organizers of the annual 10 Kilometres Okpekpe International Road Race in Edo State said only athletes with gold label will participate in this year edition of the competition.

Mike Itemuagbor, chairman of Pamodzi Sports Marketing promoter of the road race gave the hint yesterday in government house in Benin-City at a press briefing to herald the commencement of the competition slated for May 13, 2017 at Okpekpe in Etsako East local government area of Edo State.

Itemuagbor said eleven countries from Africa, Europe and Asia continents had indicated interest to participate in the international road race.

He listed the expecting countries to include Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Eritrea, Bahrain, Germany, Turkey, Morocco and Burundi.

He added that as at December 2016, the organizers received well over 60 athletes across the world noting that what they ought to do at the moment was to have a good label.

He said the road race is in bronze label and that the Okpekpe road race was among the top three in Africa rating .

According to him, right now we are inviting athletes with gold label only. That  will give us the opportunity and chance to have the gold label and we don’t have to go through the stages of having a bronze and silver before the gold.

” What we are doing with Okpekpe I don’t think there is any country in Africa that is doing that. We have a doping centre. The Okpekpe topography is one of the best in Africa and rated  second to Italy”, he added.

He also disclosed that accreditation of athletes for the event would take place between May 11 and May 12, 2017 noting that on day of event there will be no accreditation and registration of athletes.

He further added that there will be no riding of bikes by spectators during the event pointing out that security agencies including the authorities of the Federal Road safety Commission (FRSC) have been notified of the directive.

“The race proper this year there will be no bike at all. Bike is absolutely eliminated. We have told all the security agencies including FRSC that no bike in the premises of the starting point this year. That is the decision we have taken”, he said.

While assuring that the organizers was on top of doping test, he added that a doping station has been established for the event.

Itemuagbor  who furthers explained  that the organizers have received all the doping kits added that International Athletes Amateur Federation (IAAF) has changed the name of doping test to ‘Integrity”..

He however urged Nigeria athletes particularly those from Edo state to participate in the race in order to be able to participate in other competitions across the world.

In his remark, the deputy governor, Philip Shaibu who commended the organizers of the 10 km Okpekpe international road race disclosed that he will be running for cancer.

Shaibu noted that the annual competition has changed the narratives of Okpekpe community from rural to a city.

“The road race competition has changed the rural community called Okpekpe. The community is no longer rural but now an international community and also a city that is known world wide now”, he said.

He added that he is running for cancer noting that the objective was for the elimination of cancer.

“I am running for cancer. I am running that cancer be eliminated and by the grace of God for those that are already having it there is going to be solidarity for them and also running to see that one day the vaccines and the cure for the disease will be real”, he stated.

He also urged that Nigerians particularly Edo people should take opportunity of the gold label pointing out that it was an opportunity people are looking for elsewhere and now in our doorstep.