Large entry for Lagos Women Run thrills Popoola

The General Coordinator of the Lagos Women Run, Tayo Popoola is delighted with the increased number of persons interested in taking part in the 2017 edition of the event scheduled to hold on Saturday at the National Stadium, Lagos.

Explaining that the run is in line with the Lagos State government’s initiative for women, Popoola said the increased number of participants attests to the success of the inaugural edition in 2016.

“The State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode is always happy when he sees women engaged in sports events with a common purpose of eradicating vices, which negatively affects women. He is comfortable doing this with the support of his wife, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode.

“The Lagos Women Run is a 10-kilometre run where women from different spheres of life will converge to do a lot of things together. It’s not just about a group of women in a sports competition racing to reach the finish line for the prize money. It is a run that comes in many facets with a lot of attachments. There will be women who will come and run against cancer, some will run to campaign against women brutality and other social vices against the well-being of women which have been frowned at by the society.

“The Lagos State government has initiated a lot of programmes to campaign against all these and seeing the Lagos Women Run boost the initiative through sports is a measure that has been commended by the Governor himself especially as the Run’s objective is to get women to the starting point of fitness through RUN.”

Popoola, who is also the first woman Taekwondo practitioner in Nigeria, noted that there were different categories of participants, including those that will walk all through the 10 kilometres; those that will be on wheel chairs, just as there would be others, who will race to beat the time recorded last year.