Kenyan Wins Maiden Okpekpe Race
05 May 2013
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From Adibe Emenyonu  in Benin City 

The first ever International Amateur Athletics Federation-certified road race in Nigeria held yesterday at Okpekpe, Edo State, attracted 700 top athletes from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Nigeria.


The race which covered 10 kilometres over hills and sandy paths was won by Moses Masai of Kenya with a time of 29 minutes, 39 seconds. Timothy Troitich of Uganda came second with a time of 29 minutes 44 seconds and Yusuf Bitwott came third with a time of 29 minutes, 50 seconds.


Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State who also participated in the race alongside the Minister of Sports, Mr Bolaji Abdullahi and other VIPs including top Nollywood actors came 131st with a time of 59 minutes, 3 seconds. The governor, against the advice by organisers to compete in the VIP race which covered only 2.5km, ran the whole length of the 10,000 metres to the consternation of everyone.


The Minister for Sports and Chairman National Sports Commission, Bolaji Abdullahi who thanked the Edo State Government for the commitment and vision for the event promised to ensure that race is made an annual event.


“I must commend you for the sincere energy and commitment which you have demonstrated and also for the vision of this event. We will continue to cherish the connection you have brought between rural development and sports and that falls squarely within our mission for mass participation in sports. I will continue to argue that it is not all the time that the purpose of sports is for medals or for podium success or global excellence,” he noted.


According to him, “the purpose of sports is for mass participation and for unity. Today this event is uniting us because it has brought everybody here to have a pleasant Saturday in Okpekpe.”


On his part, the Governor Oshiomhole thanked the Minister for the leadership he provided in the Ministry of Sports which has taken sports to an enviable level in Nigeria.                        

  
“I think I speak the mind of the community and the good people of Edo State to say thank you when you say that this event will be repeated every year. We in Edo State will make sure we include it in our national calendar of events,” he disclosed.
The race was organised by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria in conjunction with Pamodzi Sports Marketing Nigeria Limited.

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