Athletics
OVER 150 STUDENTS, ATHLETES LIGHT UP OMU ARAN MINI-MARATHON
No fewer than 150 students drawn from public schools in Omu-Aran, Kwara, participated in the 2019 Mini-marathon organised by Skylarks’ Club of Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government Area on Sunday.
The 10 kilometers Mini-marathon, the third in the series, was geared toward boosting youths’ participation in sporting activities, especially at the grassroot.
The race, which commenced from Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) gate along Omu-Aran-Kabba Highway as early 6:45 am terminated at Bareke roundabout in the metropolis.
Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, in his remarks, called for stakeholders’ collective responsibility in ensuring the desired sports development in the area.
Adeoti, who commended the organisers for their vision and foresight as regards sports development, urged more public and private partnership to achieve the desired objective.
According to him, government alone cannot shoulder the wants and demands of every community, hence the need for collective efforts to achieving the desired target.
The monarch, who described running as a good form of exercise, urged the youth not to lose focus in combining sports with their academic pursuit for them to stay healthy and achieve excellence in their studies.
He was hopeful that the event would be a continuous exercise in order to move the community forward as far as sports development was concerned.
The monarch said: “Running is a good form of strengthening our muscles and other parts of our body in order to be active health-wise.
“As you can see, I have been walking around since morning even before the commencement of the marathon race to show and lead by example.
“Our youths should be agile, active, particularly when it comes to sporting activities.
“Such will be a good motivation for them to excel in their academic programmes also,’’ he said.
The President, Skylarks Club of Omu-Aran, James Sangoyomi, in his remarks, noted that the club was determined to expand the scope of the game to accommodate more participants outside the community.
He disclosed that the club would also institute a health walk for different categories of indegenes as contemporary to the marathon race.
“We are just starting. Our plan is to expand this game to attract more students from other councils as a way of improving youths’ participation in sporting activities”, Sangoyomi said.
He said that the game was funded from donations by members and promised its sustenance in making the event a yearly one.
Alhaji Ali Durotoye, a Deputy Director, in the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, who coordinated the race activities, expressed satisfaction with the level of its organisation.
He said the Mini-marathon was already approved by the state Athletics Association.
Kareem Bidemi of Aperan Comprehensive High School, Omu-Aran, came first in the male category while Salihu Mistura of Omu-Aran High School, Omu-Aran, came first in the female category.
Bidemi returned with a time of 42min: 03seconds while Salihu returned with a time of 49min :11seconds to clinch first in the male and female categories respectively.
The first, second,third placements attracted N50, 000, N20, 000, N15, 000 and N10, 000 prize monies respectively in form of scholarships.
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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