Tag: Ebenyo

Daniel Ebenyo’s dream of becoming the first man to successfully defend the  Okpekpe 10km race title has been derailed by injury.

The 28-year-old  who won the men’s title last year had promised to return this year to his adopted  second country, Nigeria, but an injury he sustained in training means he will not be in Okpekpe to defend his title.

The Kenyan  has equally  lamented his inability to be the first man to break 28 minutes at the race after setting a 28:28 course record in 2023.

Read Also: Tinubu hails tennis champion, Aruna Quadri, on ITTF Africa Cup Victory

 “I had a dream to be the first man to defend my title and  run another course record but definitely I can’t again,” the Kenyan  reportedly said  in  a message to the Okpekpe race media.

While  wishing the athletes who will compete for honours this year all the best, Ebenyo also has nice words for the organizers of the world class, gold label 10km road race.

 “ I am  hereby wishing all the runners all the best and may the best athlete win,” he  said. “Okpekpe is always a bridge and a mother to all races in Africa.

“God bless Okpekpe and God bless the organisers of the race. See you next year,”  added  Ebenyo who made the podium at both the World Athletics Championships in Budapest and World Athletics Road Running championships in Riga after emerging Okpekpe race champion last year.

This year’s race is the 10^th  in the series and organisers have assured of another world class event come May 25 in Okpekpe in Edo state of Nigeria.

The race is the first road race in Nigeria to have its course measured by a World Athletics’ certified measurer  and the first be in West Africa to be  granted label status to depicts its world class status.

Kenya runner Daniel Ebenyo   has enthused  about  the possibility of  returning  to Nigeria in May to defend his Okpekpe international 10km road race title.      

The East African  ran a new 28:28 course record to win the men’s title on his debut and now wants to make history as  the  first man to successfully defend an Okpekpe race title.

“I am interested in returning to Nigeria to run at the Okpekpe race. Nigeria is like my second home,” noted the 28-year- old who went on to win the 10,000m silver  medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary and another silver medal, this time in the half Marathon at the World Road Running  Championships in Riga, Latvia.

Read Also: Okpekpe race champion Ebenyo shines  at World Athletics  Championships in Latvia

Asked if he was coming back to break the course record he set last year and probably become the first man to run under 28 minutes in Okpekpe, Ebenyo was non-committal.

 “May be I will try,” he said.

The Okpekpe International 10km road race will celebrate its 10th  anniversary this year and organizers have said it will be the best ever in terms of its glamour and entertainment.

 “The technical and administrative organization of the event have been applauded by World Athletics with the elevation of the event to a gold label status  after its return from a two-year Covid-induced absence,” said Zack Amodu, the race director. 

The Okpekpe International 10km road race is the first road running event in West Africa to be granted a label race. This year’s race will hold on May 25 in Okpekpe, Edo state.