World Athletics confirms May 27, 2023 for Okpekpe 10km road race

World Athletics has confirmed the date of the ninth Okpekpe International 10km Road Race. The organisers said the event would hold on May 27, 2023 in Okpekpe town near Auchi, Edo State.

The race, the first road running event to be granted a label status by World Athletics in West Africa, according to World Athletics, will be one of the 40 gold-label road running events to hold in 2023.

It will also be the second gold label 10km road race to hold next year after the TCS World 10K Bengaluru in Bengaluru, India which is billed for May 7, 2023.

According to the calendar released by World Athletics, the gold label Okpekpe international 10km road race will be the only label road race to hold May 27, which means the focus of the entire world will be on Okpekpe, a small agrarian community in Estako East Council of Edo State for the world class event.

Race organiser, Mike Itemuagbor, is delighted the race has continued to lead the way in the West African sub-region and has become one of three races in Africa to be granted a gold label rating in 2023.

The first gold label road race in Africa and the continent’s first World full Marathon major is the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in South Africa.

“We have done all the documentations required and we are delighted that World Athletics has confirmed the date we set for the race,” said Itemuagbor.

Itemuagbor thanked Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, for the support and the enabling environment they have provided for the race to attain the enviable height it has reached and the many historic feats it has achieved.