Okpekpe tops list of IAAF label 10km races for May

The sixth Okpekpe International 10km Road Race will officially flag off a number of IAAF label 10km road races in the world this year.

The race in Okpekpe, a town in Etsako East Local Council of Edo State, located about 25 km North East of Auchi, will be the first IAAF silver label road race in West Africa just like it did in 2015 when the town became famous for hosting the first ever IAAF label road race in sub-Saharan Africa.

The history-making event will hold on May 12 and it is the only IAAF silver label 10km road race for the first half of 2018.

A day later, all eyes will be on the Indian city of Bangalore for the IAAF gold label Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru, which holds a day after the Okpekpe race.
Ottawa in Canada will host the third and final IAAF label 10km road race for the first half of the year.

The Ottawa 10km race will hold on May 26 and it is an IAAF gold label road race.

Meanwhile, organisers of next weekend’s first-of-its-kind race in Okpekpe has warned registered athletes must wear the temporary timing chip attached to their race number.
Failure to wear this will result in the participant’s name being omitted from the results.

This means such a participant will not be eligible for the prize monies on offer.

“The race number and temporary timing chip are linked to your name and finishing time. Allowing another person to compete with your number will result in disqualification of the other person and your exclusion from next year’s event,” warns Henry Amike, the elite athletes manager for the silver label race.
Amike also revealed that the use of personal music players with headphones will not be allowed.