Sports
Okpekpe Organisers Sure To Host World-Class Race
Organisers of the ninth Okpekpe International 10km Road Race, say they are “condemned to organising a bigger and better event” with just nine days left for the race to hold in Okpekpe, Etsako East Local Governemnt Area of Edo State.
Race Director, Zakari Amodu, said the first ever World Athletics Gold Label 10km race in Nigeria will for the ninth time live up to its billing as one of the prestigious road races in the world.
“We have covered all grounds necessary for a good race. We have gold level running athletes already confirmed for the historic race .We have all the materials we wanted for effective doping control, including a doping station at the finish area in Okpekpe.
“We have met all the necessary requirements to organise a gold label road race and have even moved several steps higher. What we are waiting for is just for the race day to be here so that we can put into practice all we have been doing in terms of keeping to the World Athletics competition rules and requirements,” Amodu said.
On the security of athletes, officials and spectators in and around Okpekpe, Amodu added, “The Edo State Government is on top of this, as explained by the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, two weeks ago at a pre-race press conference in Benin. We are also in discussion with the DSS, the Nigeria Police and the FRSC.
“We paid a courtesy call on the Edo State Commissioner of Police, and like they and other security agencies have done in the last eight editions of the race, we have been assured of another hitch-free event come May 27.”
Amodu stated that about 200 volunteers will be on duty before, during and after the race not just to help with its organisation, but also get practical experience of events management in their related fields.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.