The Okpekpe international 10km road race has been given a clean bill of health by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for nine successive editions following the negative dope tests recorded at its one-day meeting on 27th May.
The ninth edition of the race was the first 10km gold label event on Nigerian road and it witnessed two new course records as Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo ran 28:28 to set the men’s course record while Kazakhstan’s Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui ran 32:38 to smash the 32:41 record set by Ethiopia’s Wude Ayalew in 2014.
The AIU in a letter to Mike Itemuagbor, the promoter of the race early this week, not only confirmed the two course records but has also certified that no athlete ingested prohibited substances or used prohibited methods during the competition.
“We are glad to communicate that the samples collected at the Okpekpe road race, analysed at the WADA-Accredited Lausanne laboratory, did not reveal the presence/use of substances/ methods prohibited under the current WADA list,” wrote Andrea DeMas, the in-competition testing coordinator at the AIU.
Race Director, Zack Amodu, said the development affirmed the organisers’ resolve to ensure athletes compete cleanly and fairly when they come for the world rated event.
“This is not only a good development for the sport, it is equally a big plus for the organisers of the race and Nigeria,” said Amodu. “We have ensured everything about the race has a touch of excellence and integrity with the calibre of people assigned to be in-charge of doping control at the race.”
The Okpekpe international 10km road race which started in 2013, is the first road race in West Africa to get a label rating when it was granted a bronze label status in 2015.
It graduated to become the first ever silver label road race in West Africa in 2018 and the first gold label 10km road race in Nigeria; and one of the only two in Africa.
It remains the first road race in Nigeria recognised by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS).