Sports
2,500 Runners Battle for $70,000, As Second Edition of ECOWAS Marathon Holds In Abuja Tomorrow
Joel Ajayi
All is set for the second edition of the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon scheduled for Saturday, December 16, 2023. According to the event organisers, athletes from 15 members of ECOWAS will compete with elite runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, China, Korea and others for a total prize money of $70,000.
Briefing the media on Friday in Abuja, the Director, Youth and Sports Development, ECOWAS, Ambassador Francis Njoaguani, said the race is beyond just sports and its health benefits but to create around ECOWAS in Nigeria as well as promoting sports for integration in the West Africa sub-region.
“According to him, the idea was beyond the sports and health benefits of the marathon. There is also the need to create some awareness around ECOWAS in Nigeria where the ECOWAS headquarters is located. We all know that in Abuja ECOWAS has several institutions.
“The ECOWAS Commission where we are today is the main institution of the ECOWAS. In Abuja, we also have the ECOWAS Parliament as well as the ECOWAS Court of Justice and of course recently, ECOWAS Office of the Auditor General. So all four key institutions of ECOWAS are located here in Abuja which is the more reason why there is need to have that visibility for ECOWAS while promoting sports for integration. And that is all the idea behind the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.
“This is the second edition which means the first edition has been held successfully. It was held in December 2019 with the collaboration of the FCT Sports Department. Attempt to hold the second edition was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. But we are back with full force with our partners, the FCT Sports Department, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and others.
“For this edition, we have two races; the Half Marathon and the 5km Road Race. The winners, male and female in the Half Marathon will get $10,000 each and a gold medal, first runners-up, $5,000 each and a silver medal and the second runners-up, $4,000 each and a bronze medal. The first position in the Road Race will get $750, second position$500 and third position $400. Also, the first 200 runners to reach the finish line will get bronze medals each,” Njoaguani said.
Race Director, Coach Gabriel Okon, while corroborating Njoaguani’s submission every technical aspects that has to do with the race has been properly taken care of.
“As the Ambassador has rightly said, this race was conceived about five years ago and thank God that the second edition will hold tomorrow (Saturday).
“The half marathon is 21.098km and if you look at full marathon, it is 42.195km. This is half marathon. We have some runners who are coming. The Ethiopians, the Kenyans, two males and two females. The marathon race rules will be aligned with the rules and regulations of the World Athletics (WA) and Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).”
However, Half Marathon will start at 07:00 am in front of the ECOWAS Secretariat, the 5km Road Race will commence at Banex Plaza. The ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon has been a powerful tool of youth empowerment and engagement and it has had powerful impacts on the FCT economy especially the hospitality and allied industries while also acting as catalyst to boost tourism in the nation’s capital.
Sports
Nigeria Volleyball Reporters Congratulates Oguntimehin On Election As Fct Swan Chairman
The Nigeria Volleyball Reporters Association (NVRA) has congratulated Tolu Oguntimehin on his election as Chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter.
NVRA described his emergence as an opportunity to strengthen sports journalism and advance the welfare of members.
Oguntimehin emerged victorious at the FCT SWAN elective congress held on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, defeating his challenger, Raphael Ekpang, by 88 votes to four.
In a congratulatory message, the Chairman of Nigeria Volleyball Reporters, Alhaji Ganiyu Oloyede described the election outcome as a testament to the confidence reposed in Oguntimehin by members of the association.
Oloyede expressed optimism that the new chairman would bring purposeful leadership, inclusiveness and renewed commitment to the development of sports journalism in the FCT.
He stressed that the responsibility of leading the association goes beyond occupying an office.
Oloyede noted that the new administration must prioritise members’ welfare, professional development, unity and the protection of their collective interests.
The NVR chairman also challenged the incoming leadership to create an enabling environment where sports journalists can thrive professionally, gain greater access to sporting events and contribute meaningfully to the growth of Nigerian sports.
He particularly welcomed Oguntimehin’s commitment to establishing a ₦200 million financial base for the association, describing the proposed initiative as an ambitious step towards building a financially stronger and more sustainable SWAN FCT.
Oloyede further emphasised the importance of collaboration among sports journalists, sports federations, government institutions and other stakeholders, maintaining that stronger partnerships would create more opportunities for members and improve the quality of sports reporting.
He urged the new executive to embrace transparency, accountability and open communication while ensuring that every member feels represented in the administration.
The Nigeria Volleyball Reporters reaffirmed its readiness to work with the new SWAN FCT leadership in promoting sports journalism, strengthening professional relationships and projecting Nigerian sports positively.
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