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Okpekpe Road Race’s bibs ready for collection Thursday

By Michael Egbejule, Benin
23 May 2023   |   3:05 am
Organisers of the 2023 Okpekpe Road Race have announced that collection of running number (bibs) for the event will start on Thursday and end on Friday at Uyi Hotel, Auchi.

Athletes taking part at last year’s Okpekpe Road race in Edo State.

• Unuigbe explains Petralon Energy’s support for race

Organisers of the 2023 Okpekpe Road Race have announced that collection of running number (bibs) for the event will start on Thursday and end on Friday at Uyi Hotel, Auchi.

The bibs collection is one of the final parts of the race, which holds on Saturday in Okpekpe, Edo State.
The Race Director, Zack Amodu said the bib collection will start by 9.00 a.m. and end by 6.00 p.m. daily and advised registered runners to collect their running number in person.

“All participating athletes will receive a running race vest, bib number, and chip, while those who complete the 10km race right from the flag off at Apana Road to the finish line in Okpekpe, will receive medals and certificates,” Amodu said.

Meanwhile, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Petralon Energy Limited, Ahonsi Unuigbe, yesterday, explained that his company’s support for Okpekpe International 10km Road Race is a fulfilment of his personal vow a couple of years ago.

According to Ahonsi, Petralon Energy Limited, the race’s first CSR partner since it became the country’s pioneer road running event to be granted a label status by World Athletics, is delighted to be part of the race, which ninth edition holds on Saturday in Okpekpe.

“Petralon’s sponsorship of the Okpekpe race started in my head about 10 years ago when the administration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole partnered with Mike
Itemuagbor and his company, Padmozi, to start the race that has made Okpekpe, Edo State and Nigeria, a destination of sort for sports.

“I was a commissioner then in the administration of Comrade Oshiomhole and I said to myself there are admirable people like Itemuagbor, who want to sacrifice their time and money for the good of their people.

“Through the Okpekpe race, he has certainly changed whatever negative narrative about Nigeria out there. I said to myself at the time that if I find myself in a position to help, I will definitely do it and thank God I am able to do it now as the official CSR partner,” Unuigbe said.

The Petralon boss revealed there would be a pre-Okpekpe race trial for intending runners of Ora communities, where 100 of them will be sponsored to the main race.

“The race will hold in four of the Ora communities and there will be prizes for the top three athletes. If others can also be impacting their communities like Itemuagbor has done and I am about to do, we can also produce many more talented athletes,” said Unuigbe, who revealed that the first Nigerian athlete to win a medal at the World Athletics championships, Ajayi Agbebaku, is from his community.

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