Organisers of the Okpekpe international 10km road race have predicted new men and women’s course records at the 5th IAAF Bronze Label race
The event holds in Okpekpe near Auchi, Edo on May 13.
In 2014 Kenya’s Teshome Mekonnen and Ethiopia’s Wude Ayalew ran 28:35 and 32:41 respectively smashing the course and the Nigerian all-comers record of 29:39 and 33:01 set a year earlier.
“Last year at the fourth edition of the race the Kenyan duo of Simon Cheprot (29:48) and Polline Wanjiku Njeru (33:53) failed to race past Mekonnen and Ayalew’s records.
“But all that will change this year,’’ predicted Yusuf Alli, a technical official of the race.
“The quality of the elite athletes confirmed for this year’s race is such that we cannot rule out a new world record come May 13.
“The world lead for the men’s race is 27:18 set by Kenya’s Bernard Kimeli last month in Padeborn while the women’s lead is held by another Kenyan, Joyciline JEPKOSGEI which she set also last month in Praha, the Czech Republic.
“Many of the gold and silver level running athletes confirmed for the race have ran faster than the course records set by Mekonnen and Ayalew in 2014,’’ Alli noted.
According to him with the new course authenticated by the International Association of Athletics Federations and the Association of international marathons and road races (AIMS), he was confident the athletes would race to new records at the Okpekpe event.
“With MYLAPS Sports Timing, a Netherland’s based internationally recognised automatic sports timing company once again providing the race with an easy to use, accurate and reliable timing system, all particpants are assured of flawless timing at the race.
“This will give the race more credibility and reconfirm its status as an IAAF label race, one of only two label races in Africa in 2017,’’ said Alli, a former Commonwealth long jump record holder.
Meanwhile, a counter terrorism expert, Cecil Esekhaigbe, a retired Major General has joined the celebrity cast for the race.
Like the other celebrity runners, he will not also be running for the prize money on offer.
Esekhaigbe is the latest in the long list very important personalities that gad endorsed the IAAF Bronze Label Okpekpe international 10km road race.
He would be running to create awareness about the health benefits of running,’’ said Dare Esan spokesman for the race.
“Running like we all know is a great exercise for the heart. It improves our heart condition, boosts weight loss, strengthens bone structure and stimulates the brain among other benefits.’’
Source: https://echonewsng.com/2017/05/01/new-course-record-predicted-at-5th-okpekpe-race/ …
