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
35 Days to Go: Nigeria Set to Host African Junior Athletics Championship in Abeokuta
Joel Ajayi
With just 35 days to go, Nigeria is revving up preparations to host the 3rd edition of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) African Junior Athletics Championship, scheduled to take place from July 16 to 20, 2025, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Returning to Nigerian soil, the prestigious biennial event will welcome the continent’s most promising Under-18 and Under-20 athletes to the newly refurbished MKO Abiola International Stadium, which recently played host to the 22nd National Sports Festival.
Over 500 athletes from more than 50 African nations are expected to compete in this year’s championship, making it one of the largest gatherings of young athletic talent on the continent.
South Africa, the reigning overall champions, will be looking to defend their title, but Nigeria’s young stars are also eager to make a strong statement on home soil.
“This is not just a competition; it is a celebration of Africa’s future in track and field,” Hon. Bukola Olopade, DG of the National Sports Commission said.
“Nigeria is honored to host once again and to demonstrate its world-class capacity in organizing major sporting events,” he added.
The choice of Abeokuta—also known as the Gateway City—underscores the state’s growing reputation as a hub for sports development, alongside other Nigerian cities. With its state-of-the-art facilities and strategic location, the city is set to deliver an unforgettable experience for athletes, officials, and fans alike.
The CAA African Junior Championships is widely regarded as the breeding ground for the continent’s future Olympic and world champions.
As the countdown continues, all eyes will be on Nigeria to once again rise to the occasion and reinforce its status as Africa’s true sporting giant.
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