Sports
High Altitude Athletics Club Prepares To Dominate ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon
Joel Ajayi
The High Altitude Athletics Club of Jos, one of Nigeria’s premier athletic clubs, has announced its intention to send 25 elite athletes to the upcoming 2023 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon.
“The ECOWAS race is an excellent platform for our athletes to showcase their talent,” remarked Steve Nuhu, the club’s coordinator and a mentor to numerous long-distance runners in Nigeria.
Nuhu expressed confidence in his team’s ability to sweep the podium, particularly in the women’s category. “Our athletes have been training diligently and are determined to achieve this goal,” he stated.
The ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon, scheduled for December 16, 2023, features two categories: a half marathon and a 5km fun run.
The half-marathon winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000, while the second and third-place finishers will earn $5,000 and $4,000, respectively.
The top ten finishers will receive generous prize money, with the fourth place receiving $3,500, fifth place $3,000, sixth place $2,500, seventh place $2,000, eighth place $1,500, ninth place $1,200, and tenth place $1,000.
The winners of the 5km family and fun run will receive $750, the second-place finishers $500, the third-place finishers $400, and the fifth-place finishers $200.
“We at the High Altitude Athletics Club are thrilled about the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon,” Nuhu stated. “This provides another international stage for our athletes. We have already registered 25 elite athletes, and many fun runners are joining us from Jos.”
While expressing gratitude to ECOWAS for providing opportunities for runners not only in Nigeria but across the sub-region, Nuhu made a particular appeal to Northern Governors to invest in marathon races.
“We applaud ECOWAS’s efforts to promote marathon races in the sub-region. Our appeal goes out to governors, particularly in Northern Nigeria, to take up this responsibility and help our country realize its immense potential in long-distance running. With the right investment in our Northern talents, we can soon compete with Kenyans, Ethiopians, and others,” Nuhu concluded.
Sports
Gusau Praises President Tinubu, ValueJet crew for diligence and endurance
Joel Ajayi
The President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau on Tuesday expressed the deep appreciation of the NFF and the Nigeria Football family for the warm words of encouragement from the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR following the Super Eagles’ return from a better-forgotten Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match adventure in Libya.
On Monday, Mr. President put out a statement warmly welcoming the team back to home, and asking for prompt justice from the Confederation of African Football following the inhumane treatment of the Nigerian contingent. Mr. President also commended the proactive coordination between the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Sports Development in addressing the unfortunate episode and ensuring the safe return of the players.
“We hereby express our deep and sincerest appreciation to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his warm and kind words of encouragement. These words have gone a long way to reassure the players of the firm support of the Government and people of Nigeria for what they do and the efforts and sacrifice they make in representing this great country.
“The commitment and love for the team by the Government and the entire nation was aptly demonstrated by the physical presence of the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh at the airport to welcome the team back to Nigeria.
“Mr. President as the father of the nation, has once again demonstrated his concern and keen interest in the beautiful game of football that unites our peoples from all walks of life and across all known mental, physical, spiritual, political and economic boundaries, and which fosters national unity and friendship among peoples and nations of the universe.”
Gusau, who led the delegation to Libya, also commended the captain and crew of the ValueJet aircraft that flew the delegation to and from that country, saying that their patience, diligence, good manners, warmth and endurance made the trip less arduous for the contingent.
“The captain (Mr. Abdul-Latif) and crew were awesome. I must commend, in particular, the captain. He did his job professionally and with a touch of excellence, and even intervened at a point to talk to the airport operatives to allow the NFF leadership to go outside the airport to find a way to hire vehicles for the team. As a fellow North African (Tunisian) who had worked in Libya previously, they were ready to offer him hotel accommodation but not any other member of the crew or any Nigerian, as all the hotels in the city disclosed that they had strict orders not to welcome any Nigerian nationality. He refused their offer and rather opted to sleep in the aircraft with the rest of the crew.
“The captain and crew showed great maturity and kindness. We will never forget them.”
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