Organisers predict new record at eighth Okpekpe 10km Road Race

Runners compete at the 2019 Okpekpe International Road Race. The World Athletics-sanctioned event will return in May 2022.

With 30 days to the eighth Okpekpe International 10km Road Race, organisers of the event have predicted that the men will set a new course record.    Ethiopia’s Teshome Mekonnen ran 28:35 to set the men’s course record at the second edition of the race in 2014. Race Director, Zack Amodu, said, yesterday, that the new rules guiding invitation of athletes and the quality of the elite cast confirmed for the race, point to only one direction: a new men and probably women’s course records on May 28, 2022 in Okpekpe.

“One of the requirements for World Athletics elite label races is that each race must have at least five athletes per gender, irrespective of their country or territory representation, who have recorded in 2020, 2021 or 2022 at least one World Athletics legal performance within the standard set for the classification,” revealed Amodu.    

“For a World Athletics elite label 10km race, the standard for men is 28.27, while for women it is 33.07.”   “The standard for men is better than the 28.35 record Mekonnen set in 2014 and to have at least five athletes, who have run faster than that within the last three years among the elite cast for the Okpekpe race, your bet is as good as mine.”

Amodu also said a new women’s course record looks achievable judging by the quality of the cast of the elite women that will be in Okpekpe on May 28.  

“This year’s race promises to be very explosive as far as the actions over hills and tarred roads, starting from Apana Road and ending in Okpekpe town,” added Amodu, who said the quality of organisation is never in doubt.

“For the race to be classified as one of the World