Athletics
IT’S MOTHER’S DAY FOR FRASER-PRYCE, FELIX AND LIU AT ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
A mother is always as good as gold in her children’s eyes, but for three new mothers at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019, that saying will take on a new meaning after this week.
Allyson Felix, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Liu Hong all won gold in their respective events on Monday (29) in the Qatari capital. Felix in the mixed 4x400m for the United States, Fraser-Pryce in the women’s 100m for Jamaica and Liu in the 20km race walk for China.
“A lot went into this one,” said Felix after her win. “A lot of hard work, overcoming a lot of adversity and complications, in a year where my health – and my daughter’s health – was in jeopardy.”
Felix underwent a caesarean section at 32 weeks on 28
November 2018 when her daughter’s heartbeat showed signs of distress.
“You don’t do this alone,” she said. “There’s a whole tribe.”
Felix revealed that Fraser-Pryce became part of the support system that helped her continue with her sporting goals.
“I had goose bumps watching Shelly-Ann,” said Felix. “We’ve talked a lot this year, encouraged each other. She’s been an amazing support.”
Fraser-Pryce gave birth to her son, Zyon, the day after the conclusion of the 2017 World Championships. Her gold medal in the women’s 100m is her fourth in the event and eighth overall gold at the IAAF World Championships.
“Standing here, having done it again at 32, and holding my baby, is a dream come true,” said Fraser-Pryce. “When I found out I was pregnant, I was a nervous wreck, I was so worried about a lot of things, but now Zyon is my source of strength, my hope.”
They might have made it look easy, but the physical and mental demands of recovering from childbirth were challenging for all the athletes.
“I didn’t have speed this year and my strength was a little iffy,” said Felix.
Liu admitted she adjusted her training schedule since becoming a mother. After giving birth to her daughter Xixi in November 2017, she realised she’d have to change her routine to be able to tackle both motherhood and the world of elite sport.
“I’m not only an athlete, but I became a mother,” said Liu. “So, I have to devote much time to balance family life and training. It was a bit difficult for me as I have to focus on the training and make my training more effective.”
Whatever adjustments these mothers made on the road to the top of the podium, it looks as if they worked.
“It’s a stepping stone,” said Felix. “There’s always more work to be done but I do feel really blessed to be on this stage.”
Jolene Latimer for the IAAF
BY DAPO SOTUMINU
Nigeria’s Francis James and Blessing Shambaz yesterday emerged winners of the 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Race to go home with the winners prize money of $1,000 in a race that was officially flagged off by the First vice president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Chief Solomon Ogba, and supported by Mr. Nadin Khan, the president of the World Ultra Running.
James won the men’s race finishing at 30minutes 11seconds to beat all opponents to consolidate on his victory in Abuja when he finished second best in the half marathon held in the Federal Capital Territory middle of the year.
James also emerged the Nigeria’s winner of the World class half marathon.
It will be recalled that James at his last major race in Abuja finished second place in a national half marathon race. He stressed that he used that race to prepare for the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race and he was very happy winning the race.
He stressed that, the victory at Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10m Race has given him the confidence to do better in others races coming up in Nigeria and its an indication, that he’s very close to making history for Nigeria in subsequent marathon races. He added that, Nigerian runners will pull surprise in the others races not minding the attendance of the East Africans.
In second place for the men’s race is Gyang Raymond at a time of 30 minutes 14 seconds. Gyang got $750 for his effort. While the third place winner is Gyang David Boyi at 30 minutes 54 seconds. Boyi got a cash prize of $500.
In the women 10km race, the runners up that placed second was Daylop Patience at a time of 36minutes 98.28seconds to keep her position in last year’s edition. She got $750.
Third place winner is Agofure Charity at 37minutes 88 seconds.She got $500.
The overall 10km also saw the race by special athletes.
The route of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race wore a very active look this morning with the active presence of Febbs table water, a part sponsor of the event.
The volunteers on each points on the route all had Febbs Water on their hands ready to hand them over the runners. The organisers decorated all the runners that crossed the finish line with gold medals, this added to the fanfare and celebrations at the Alake Palace finish line of the race.
The Diamond League will increase its prize money to more than $9 million in 2025, the highest in the history of the series, the organisers have said.
Athletes will make a total of $18 million, with top athletes also receiving promotional fees. Male and female athletes will be paid at the same rate, the Diamond League said in a statement.
“The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024,” the statement said, adding that more will be invested in the athletes’ travel, transport, accommodation, medical and physio services.
Each of the 14 Diamond League meets of the 2025 regular season, scheduled to kick off in April, will award a total prize money of $500,000, with the final in August offering $2.24 million.
“The total prize money per discipline will be between $30,000 and $50,000 at the series meetings and between $60,000 and $100,000 at the final,” the statement added.
The Diamond League’s 2024 season concluded in Brussels last week, with Zurich set to host the 2025 final.
The news comes after World Athletics ended a 128-year tradition by paying Olympic champions at the Paris Games $50,000 each and as rival track events try to muscle in on the circuit long seen as the standard-bearer for professional athletics.
Retired American sprinting great Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track will offer prize money ranging from $100,000 for the winner to $10,000 for the eighth-place finisher at each of four “slams” when the league launches next year.
It will distribute a total of $12.6 million in prize money in 2025.
“In a league of our own,” Grand Slam Track wrote in a post on X, opens new tab on Wednesday, with a breakdown of their prize money.
-Reuters
A record 6,000 runners, local and international from across the African continent and Nigeria have registered for the second edition of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run slated for September 28, 2024, as the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited guns for a bronze label status for the race.
The Chief Operating Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Ebidowie Oweifie, noted that the theme of this year’s edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race titled ‘For Greatness’ out is out to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Egba paramount ruler, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, the 10km Run will flag off at Iyana Oloke at 6am and finish at The Alake Palace, Abeokuta.
Kenya’s Peter Nwaniki is the men’s race defending champion at a time of 28 minutes 14 seconds, while Shamila Kipsirir also of Kenya is the women’s defending champion.
Nigeria’s race men’s defending champion is Francis James at 31minutes 08seconds, while the women’s defending champion is Patience Daylop at 36 minutes 31 seconds.
The second edition of Abeokuta10km Race will be sponsored by Lotus Bank, FEBBS Premium Water, Fatgbems Petroleum Limited and Cash Token.
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