Edo State: Owan Marathon To Return After 4 Years, Says Organiser

From Imafidon OSAZUA (Benin)

The organiser of the annual 10km Owan Marathon race in Edo have announced August 31st for the return of the event.

The race, which has not been held since the COVID-19 pandemic, race will be open to athletes within and outside the country.

The organiser, Christopher Ojo, who disclosed this to newsmen in Benin, said the need for the return of the annual event is to groom to young athletes in the locality and across the state and beyond.

Ojo said: "In retrospect, the previous editions of the race have been nothing but what we had envisage it to be.

"From inception, the plan is to catch them young in the locality and groom them to stardom, and this, to a large extent we have been able to achieve.

"Recall that we had some of our discovery, three males and a female that went ahead to compete in Okpekpe marathon race and the Lagos marathon race they didn't do badly.

"The scope would be expanded by allowing participants from across the country and beyond to enliven the event as a preclude to fighting for international recognition.

"That is the reason why we are involving both the state athletes federation as well as the national body.

"This is why we have started preparation in earnest for the event and have already a date fixed for it.

"Involvement of athletes outside the state is for competitiveness, but of course, the prizes will be categorised," Ojo stated.