The best six athletes at the 18-kilometre Owan Community Road Race on Monday began training for the 2018 edition of the annual 10-km Okpekpe Road Race in Edo.
Sponsor of the inaugural Owan race, Christopher Ojo, disclosed in Benin, on Monday, that the six athletes were being trained by Osagie Okhaimu, the Edo State Sports Council’s marathon race coach.
The Tidesports source reports that the athletes were those who emerged first, second and third in both the male and female categories of the Owan race.
Ojo said that the athletes were picked for the training because the Owan, which was held on Tuesday, was meant to discover and groom talents to global stardom.
“Apart from these athletes being enrolled in the annual Okpekpe race, I will also expose them to other races outside the shores of this country.
“This year’s edition of the Okpekpe race is just the beginning of exposure for them.
“These athletes already have the talent. My job now is to train them professionally. They ran an amazing race during the event.
“During the race, the athletes returned in amazing times in spite of not having the proper kits and training. That was surprising to coaches who were present.”
Meanwhile, Okhaimu has decried the inability of the state to present a team in the past editions of the annual Okpekpe road race.
He said this has led to athletes from East African countries and other states of the federation always overshadowing athletes from Edo during the race.
While commending the sponsor of the Owan race, Okhaimu said the athletes who emerged from the race would be given specialised training ahead of the 2018 Okpekpe race.
“It is very sad that no team from the state which organises the annual Okpekpe race actually participates in it. This is why we are trying to see that this is corrected in this year’s edition.
“Among other athletes, these talents discovered from the Owan race will be conditioned for high-class marathon races, beginning from the 2018 Okpekpe race,” he stated.