Yasin Haji returns to defend Okpekpe 10km Road Race
He ran 59:52 to win the Istanbul Half Marathon in Istanbul, Turkey at the end of last month and will be looking to become the fifth Kenyan winner of the Okpekpe 10km title. In the women’s race, a new course record also looks to be in the offing following the quality of the elite cast for the event. Kenya’s Edith Jepchumba will lead the cast of athletes aiming to rewrite the 32:41 course record set by Ethiopia’s Wude Ayalew in 2014. The Kenyan ran a 30:53 lifetime best over the distance last February, nearly two minutes inside the course record and she is the fastest athlete among the elite cast confirmed for the race. Ethiopia’s Bertukan Welde has also ran inside Ayalew’s course record when she clocked 32:00 to come in behind Jepchumba in Castellon, Spain last February. Abigail Jelimo will be seeking to get the gold this time after running 33.53 to place third at the eighth edition of the Okpekpe race last year. Meanwhile, former Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police and now Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase, yesterday, commended owner of the Okpekpe 10km race, Mike Itemuagbor, for sustaining the world-class road running event in Nigeria. He said: “Kudos to Mike (Itemuagbor), the great sports lover and administrator for putting the rural Okpekpe community on the map of the world. Okpekpe race has come to stay because of our brother, who has been able to sustain it over the years.” The ninth Okpekpe International 10km Road Race will hold on Saturday in Okpekpe, Etsako East Council of Edo State. Edo State government, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Dan Oil, Petralon Energy Limited and Development Bank, back the race.
