17-year-old Gyang wins Calabar marathon

Gwom James Giang, at the weekend, beat the field to win maiden Calabar Marathon. The 17-year-old runner from Plateau State ran the 15-kilometre race in 39.8 minutes to win the N500,000 star prize for his effort.

Shaba Dare Eniola, 36, from Ondo State, and 22-year-old Yusuf Bapiye from Plateau State, who clocked 39.12 minutes and 39.19 minutes, emerged second and third in that order to pocket N300,000 and N200,000 each.

In the women’s category, Delta State’s Agofore Charity returned in 44.38 minutes to win the first prize of N500,000, while Elizabeth Nuhu and Cross River-born Godsmind Eteng, 12, who emerged first and second runners up bagged N300,000 and N200,000 respectively.

Over 500 professional and fun runners nationwide participated in the 15km Calabar Marathon with the theme “Abstinence from Drugs.”

Speaking shortly after the flag off of the race, which started at the Eleven Eleven Roundabout, through the Carnival Calabar Route and terminated at the Marina Resort, Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, who was represented by his Special Advisor on General Duties, Ekpenyong Akiba, said the initiative was a deliberate effort to take the youths away from drugs and at the same time create a platform for sports enthusiasts to harness their God-given potential and be useful to themselves and the society.

He said the race was organised to unearth hidden talents in the state and its environs, adding that given some time the programme would produce world beaters, who would represent the state and Nigeria at local and global competitions.

“Don’t forget that Calabar is the cradle of modern civilisation and that football started here. What we are doing today is to reenact our first position that was recorded in several events to