40 foreign athletes arrive for Abeokuta City Marathon

A total of 40 foreign athletes have arrived in Nigeria for the maiden Abeokuta City Marathon, organisers of the event confirmed yesterday.

The 10km race, which will see over 6,000 local athletes from different parts of the country competing for honours will hold tomorrow morning. The marathon race is being sponsored by JAC Motors and supported by the Ogun State government.

The Chief Executive Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Bukola Olopade, told The Guardian that 30 foreign athletes had already settled down in various hotels in Abeokuta, adding that ten others were being expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed airport in Lagos yesterday evening.

“We have about 30 foreign athletes already settled in their various hotels here, and as we speak, our officials are at the Murtala Mohammed airport in Lagos to receive the rest. In all, we will have 20 male and 20 female foreign athletes for this race,” he stated.

Olopade, a former sports commissioner in Ogun State, further hinted that the Abeokuta City Marathon would be a world-class event.

We didn’t expect such a large turnout of local athletes for this marathon, but we have the capacity to handle them. It is also good for the race because the more the number of athletes, the better for a marathon event.”