Organisers of the 10th Okpekpe International Road Race have revealed that any athlete who breaks either the course or the African/world record will earn additional money for their efforts.
The 2024 Okpekpe Road Race is 14 days away and the organisers say that efforts are being made to ensure this year’s race is memorable in different ways.
According to the organisers, athletes who break the Course and African/World records at the event will receive bonus awards of $2,000 and $5,000 respectively in addition to the race awards of between $15,000 and $2,000 for the first five finishers respectively.
“The top winners at the Okpekpe race, men and women, can make a total of $22,000 each if they break the official course and African (World) records (subject to ratification under World Athletics rules).
“This will be made up of the prize money of $15,000 and $2,000 for breaking the course record and $5,000 for breaking the African/World record,” Race Director, Zack Amodu, said yesterday.
The Okpekpe racecourse record stands at 28 minutes and 28 seconds (28:28) for men, set last year by Daniel Simiu Ebenyo and 32 minutes, 41 seconds (32.41) for women set in 2014 by Ethiopia’s Wude Ayalew.
The African record for men, which is also the world record, is 26 minutes, 33 seconds (26:33) set by Kenya’s Rhonex Kipruto in 2020, while another Kenyan, Agnes Jebet Ngetich holds the African nay world record for women at 28 minutes, 46 seconds (28:46) set in January 2024 in Valencia, Spain.
Amodu said: “We are motivating the athletes to run a little faster with the introduction of the performance bonus, as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the most prestigious and first World Athletics label Road race in West Africa.
“With the quality of athletes that we have signed on and those who have signified interest in the race, I am sure a new course record will be set.”
