By Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo
The maiden edition of 2023 Abuja international Marathon organised by Unicentral Resources Management Limited and Federal Capital Territory Administration is gathering momentum as runners move in droves to collect their runners kits at The Pavilion, the venue of the Abuja international Marathon Expo beside international conference centre opposite Radio House, Abuja in preparation for the new edition of international Marathon in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory
The Expo had started on Friday 21st April 2023 and it wiil end on Friday 28th April, 2023 on the eve of the international Marathon which holds on Saturday 29th April, 2023.
The number of Regristrants for the Marathon race have been so massive and encouraging with both Local and international Marathoners that had already registered running to thousands.
The race is in three categories: 5km student run, the 10km and 42,195 full Marathon
The Organisers of the maiden Abuja International Marathon (AIM) revealed that the five-kilometre version of this race is open to every runner, adding, however, that the prize attached to the 5km Student Race category is only for Nigerian secondary school students, who are 17 years or younger; first to fifth winners will benefit from the prizes.
Also, the adult category include 10km for Men and Women which will attract different prizes for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th winners .
In the same vein, full Marathon for both Men and Women adult category ; will attract different cash prizes for the 1st , 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th,7th,8th,9th and 10th positions.
In all, cumulative cash prizes of $110, 000 will be won by all the above stated winners with different categories.
Speaking on the Abuja International Marathon, which will hold on April 29, 2023, yesterday, FCT Director of School Sports, Adamu Hashimu, said the essence of the five-kilometre race is to encourage Nigerian youths to embrace road races and marathons.
“Nigerians, who are familiar with the performances of our people, will remember that when the world record in the marathon was two hours: 08 minutes, Nigerians like Abass Mohammed and Yohanna Waziri were running two hours 14 minutes, a very good time that has won about seven editions of the Lagos Marathon.
“In the FCT Sports Department, we have our own Hilda Nwokocha, who once placed fifth in the marathon at the World Universities Games. So, we need to start a development programme that will see our students, especially those from the northern part of Nigeria, who have similar physiological traits with Kenyans and Ethiopians, embrace the culture of marathon and road races at a tender age.”
Hashimu also said that before prizes are paid to winners, the race organisers, Unicentral Resources Generation Limited and FCTA, would confirm their information on the entry form from their respective schools to ensure transparency and authenticity of winners.
The FCTA Director of sports Mr Luka Istifanus had earlier on said that all neccesary arrangements have been concluded with the Departments of tourism, FCTA to give visitors coming for the race a taste of the FCTA, ” will provide transportation and also train tour guides that will take visitors and residents who are interested in major tourist centres in FCT, around the city”
For instance, the distance between Knvlope, in Bwari Area Council of FCT and The Pavilion, the ongoing Abuja International Marathon venue is over an hour and the Expo starts at 9 am daily: like men on a mission, the duo of Peter John and Sunday Emmanuel Dutse accompanied by their Long distance coach manager and school teacher Danladi Mailamba had arrived at the Expo ground before dawn.
John 11 years old and Dutse 12 years both students of Knvlope Primary School, in Bwari Area Council of FCT; their mission is not just to participate in the 5 km race of the Abuja International Marathon, the first international marathon in FCT, but to win the prize money of N500,000.
According to their coach Mailamba , who is also a former sprinter and quarter-miler said that running the 5km is not a big deal for John and Dutse.
“Twice a week we do more than 10 km as part of our 6 days weekly training . We normally run twice weekly from Knvlope community to Shere another community both in Bwari Area Council in Abuja, a distance that is more than 10km, so, running and winning the 5km is achievable on Saturday April 29’th 2023″ he said.
Mailamba is of the opinion that talents died in Nigeria because of lack of development programmes, “we are talented in all sports but there are no development programmes, we need to start proper elite athlete development programmes in Nigeria. We are grateful to FCT and Unicentral for the Abuja International Marathon, but we need more not just in Abuja but in all the nooks and crannies of FCT, we have what it takes to excel like East Africans but we need to start early at the age of 6 years or 7 years”.
On what his wards will do with the prize money if they eventually win, “They will invest the money in their education and sports career and also support their families”.
The Abuja International Marathon is slated for Saturday April 29, 2023, in three categories – the 5km Student Race, the 10 km Family Run and the 42.195 Full Marathon.
According to the Race Director, Mr kayode Thomas , registration which is free is still ongoing at the Expo till late Friday April 28tg ,2023.
Presently, Marathoners from London, Tokyo Kenya Ethiopia Britain Spain Germany Ghana and other different countries around the world had arrived Nigeria to participate in the 2023 Abuja international Marathon.
The managing Director of Unicentral Resources Management Mrs Suzanna Ogunmiloyo explained that the 2023 Abuja international Marathon is going to be a template for new development in Abuja and Nigeria as a whole because the Marathon will be a talent hunt for young stars especially school children and they will win prizes while adults Marathoners will showcase their talents and equally win prizes.
There have been constant several technical and Strategic planning meetings that had taken place between Unicentral Resources Management Limited, Local Organizing committee and main organizing committee comprising top officials of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) led by the Permanent Secretary Mr Adesola Olusade who is the Chairman Main Organizing Committee and the management of Unicentral Resources Management led by Mrs Suzanna Ogunmiloyo in order to achieve success that will rival the Abbott world Marathon Majors.
As part of build up activities towards the successful 2023 Abuja international Marathon Race, the acting Chairman Local Organizing Committee who is also Director of sports in FCTA , Mr. Luka Istifanus and Director of Race, Media and publicity, Unicentral, Mr kayode Thomas in a joint statement issued on Thursday disclosed that there will be World Press Conference on Friday April 28th 2023 at 10am, which will hold at the pavilion ground venue of the international Marathon Expo, beside international Conference Centre opposite Radio House, Abuja.
In an interview with one of the Executive Directors of the Unicentral Resources Management Limited
Mr Gbenga Olufosoye commended the major partner Federal Capital Territory Administration and other sponsors of the Abuja international Marathon such as; Seven up bottling company, TVC News Media, SMEDAN, Upshot Media, GLS Project and MAX FM among others.
Mrs Suzanna Ogunmiloyo assured, the Minister of FCT Hon. Mohammed Musa Bello, Minister of State FCT Dr Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, the permanent secretary AdesolaOlusade, who is also, the Chairman Main Organizing Committee (MOC), the Secretary Social Development Servicesof the FCTA Hajia Hadiza Mohammed Kabir who is also the Chairperson Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the entire management and staff of FCTA, residents, and visitors to FCT that Unicentral will organize a successful world-class race.
The international Marathon Race will start at the Abuja city gate and end at the Eagle Square, where world class entertainers in the country will entertain runners and spectators at the finish point on Saturday April 29th 2023.
Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo fcia fipma JP is a Trade Unionist and industrial relations practitioner gbengaolowoyo3@gmail.com
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