The Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025.

As part of activities to commemorate this significant milestone, the Commission is organising the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon, which will be held on March 1, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria.

The event, which features 21km and 5km categories, is expected to attract runners and fitness enthusiasts across the continent and beyond.

In a statement signed by the Director of Communications & Media of the ECOWAS Marathon Olukayode Thomas, the 5km Race will begin at Eagle Square and end at the ECOWAS Commission in Asokoro Abuja, while the 21km half-marathon will start at the ECOWAS Commission and finish at the Commission. 

Race Director Gabriel Okon revealed that the race is open to all categories of runners.

“The event is for elites and fun runners and other classes of fitness enthusiasts from across the continent, all vying for their share of over $71,000 in prize money”. 

“The marathon is not only a celebration of athleticism but also a showcase of unity and the vibrant spirit of the region.”

Okon expressed his enthusiasm for the event, describing it as an unparalleled opportunity to bring people together through sport. 

“The ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon is more than a race; it’s a symbol of unity, empowerment and engagement of our youths and a celebration of healthy living. We are thrilled to welcome runners from across Africa and beyond to join this extraordinary event.”

Okon also revealed that the prize money for the 5km race has been increased, with the top ten finishers receiving cash prizes.

Registered runners will receive official race certificates, finisher medals, running vests, number bibs, participant guides, and other surprise gifts.

To register online, interested participants are to visit www.ecowasabujamarathon.org while forms can also be obtained from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and Athletics Associations offices nationwide or Sports Council offices in the area councils across the Federal Capital Territory.

The ECOWAS race has grown to become one of the most significant sporting events in the region, positioning Abuja as a hub for international athletics.

With its theme of fostering unity through sports, the event promises to be an unforgettable experience.

Olympic champions Sifan Hassan and Letsile Tebogo have been announced as World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2024 in Monaco.

Following a vote by fans, Hassan and Tebogo received top honours on an evening that saw six athletes crowned in three categories – track, field and out of stadium – before the overall two winners were revealed.

Tebogo was confirmed as men’s track athlete of the year, with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone receiving the women’s honour. Hassan claimed the women’s out of stadium crown and Tamirat Tola the men’s, while Mondo Duplantis and Yaroslava Mahuchikh were named field athletes of the year.

This year’s Rising Stars were also celebrated, with Sembo Almayew and Mattia Furlani receiving recognition.

World Athletes of the Year for 2024

Women’s World Athlete of the Year: Sifan Hassan (NED)
Men’s World Athlete of the Year: Letsile Tebogo (BOT)

Women’s track: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA)
Women’s field: Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR)
Women’s out of stadium: Sifan Hassan (NED)
Men’s track: Letsile Tebogo (BOT)
Men’s field: Mondo Duplantis (SWE)
Men’s out of stadium: Tamirat Tola (ETH)

Women’s Rising Star: Sembo Almayew (ETH)
Men’s Rising Star: Mattia Furlani (ITA)

“At the end of what has been a stellar year for athletics, we are delighted to reveal our list of World Athletes of the Year – both in their respective disciplines and overall,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. “This group of athletes represents the very best of our sport and has this year redefined what is possible in terms of athletic performance.

“Our 2024 cohort set new standards in heights, speed and distance, including six world records and a host of Olympic and national records between them.

“I congratulate all our award winners, and all of the athletes nominated for these honours, and I thank them for inspiring us all with their performances this year.”

World Athletes of the Year Hassan and Tebogo both won gold and claimed multiple medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Dutch star Hassan’s medal treble in Paris was capped by her winning the final athletics gold medal of the Games with her triumph in the marathon in an Olympic record of 2:22:55. That performance came just 37 hours after Hassan claimed bronze in the 10,000m, and six days after her first medal in the French capital – also bronze – in the 5000m.

As a result, she became the first woman to win medals in the 5000m, 10,000m and marathon at the same Games, and the first athlete since Emil Zatopek, who won all three men’s titles in Helsinki in 1952.

Tebogo also made history in Paris when he won the 200m, as he claimed a first ever Olympic gold medal in any sport for Botswana. He ran an African record of 19.46 – a time that moved him to fifth on the world all-time list – and that performance followed his sixth-place finish in the 100m final. He went on to form part of Botswana’s silver medal-winning men’s 4x400m team.

He dipped under 20 seconds for 200m a total of nine times in 2024, with those performances topped by his Olympic title-winning mark which remained the fastest of the year.

His fellow track athlete of the year, McLaughlin-Levrone, improved her own world 400m hurdles record twice, to 50.65 and 50.37, and claimed Olympic gold in that event as well as in the 4x400m. Tola, who joined Hassan in being named out of stadium athlete of the year, won the Olympic marathon title in Paris in an Olympic record.

World records were set by both field athletes of the year. Mahuchikh cleared 2.10m to improve the world high jump record before winning Olympic gold, while Duplantis revised his own world pole vault record three times, eventually taking it to 6.26m, and won the Olympic title.

“Thank you to the fans, to everybody who voted,” said Hassan, who was in Monaco to receive her two awards. “I never thought I was going to win this one. This year was crazy. It’s not only me – all the athletes have been amazing. I’m really grateful. What more can I say?”

Standing alongside Hassan on the stage at the Theatre Princesse Grace, Tebogo said: “It feels amazing to know that the fans are always there for us athletes. It was a great year.

“This means a lot,” he added. “It’s not just about the team that is around you, there are a lot of fans out there that really want us to win something great for the continent. It was a real surprise to hear my name because I didn’t expect this.”

During the ceremony, a moment was taken to remember last year’s men’s out of stadium athlete of the year Kelvin Kiptum, the marathon world record-holder who died in a road traffic accident in February, as well as other figures from the sport who have passed away in 2024.

This Saturday, the executive committee of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) will meet to discuss the actions of officials involved in the failure to register Favour Ofili for the 100m at the 2024 Olympic Games, which ultimately led to her being disqualified despite having qualified.

The fate of two senior AFN officials blamed for the administrative errors and poor judgement that led to Ofili’s exclusion will be high on the agenda.  

In July, Favour Ofili publicly expressed her frustration after learning that she would not be able to compete in the 100m at Paris 2024 due to mistakes made by the AFN and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC). Ofili called for accountability and questioned the reliability of both organisations. She only participated in the women’s 200m at Paris 2024.

“I deeply regret to announce that I won’t be competing in the 100m at these Olympics. I qualified but the AFN and NOC failed to register me. I’ve worked for four years for this opportunity. For what?,” said who won a bronze medal at the 2021 World Athletics Championships U20.  

Despite meeting the qualification criteria, Ofili revealed that officials failed to complete her registration, echoing a similar issue that left 14 Nigerian athletes unable to compete at Tokyo 2020, as she had previously highlighted.  

The meeting, originally scheduled for last Sunday via Zoom, was postponed due to a lack of quorum and rescheduled for this Saturday 23 November.  

Nigerians are eager to see if the AFN will implement the recommendations of an investigative committee set up by former Sports Development Minister John Owan Enoh to look into the matter and impose sanctions.  

The committee, headed by Dr Mumini Alao, recommended disciplinary action against AFN technical director Samuel Onikeke for negligence.

Onikeke admitted that he learned of Ofili’s exclusion from the 100m on 11 or 12 July, two days before the Final Delegation Registration Meeting (F-DRM), which took place virtually on 14 July, and two weeks before the start of the athletics events in Paris.  

“The Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Samuel Onikeke, should be sanctioned by the AFN Board – of which he is also a member – for failing to report the ‘hints’ and ‘rumours’ he heard about Favour Ofili’s exclusion from the 100m,” the committee said.  

Had Onikeke shared this information with the AFN secretariat, president or other board members, corrective action could have been taken during the F-DRM. Instead, Ofili discovered the omission herself on 28 July, far too late to correct the error.  

The Commission of Inquiry also called for sanctions against AFN Secretary General Rita Mosindi for negligence.  

“Rita Mosindi, the secretary general of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, should be sanctioned by the appropriate authority for dereliction of duty. She has failed to provide convincing evidence to support her claim that she submitted vital documents relating to Favour Ofili’s 100m registration to the Ministry of Sports Development and the NOC.  

“Her reliance on WhatsApp as her sole means of official communication reflects poorly on her competence as an administrative officer,” the report added. 

The AFN may recommend Mosindi’s removal as secretary general to the National Sports Council (NSC) if her employers are reluctant to act on the committee’s recommendations.  

The board will also discuss whether to pay Ofili $5,000 (€4,600) in compensation, as suggested by the committee.  

In addition to this critical issue in July, the board is expected to discuss the federation’s programme for the 2025 season, including plans for the 20th World Championships in Athletics, to be held in Tokyo, Japan, from 13-21 September 2025, under the auspices of World Athletics.

-insidethegames