2nd Onitsha City Marathon organisers plan bigger, better outing – Promoter

Organisers of the Onitsha City Marathon (OCM) have assured that the second edition of the event will be bigger and better, given the endorsement it enjoys from the Anambra Government.

Prof. Segun Sogbesan, Director General of Onitsha Business School and Chief Promoter of OCM, said this at a news Conference in Onitsha.

The 21-kilometre marathon is scheduled to hold on Sept. 30.

Sogbesan said the 21 kilometre race was set to flag off, thanking Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha for his royal blessing.

The theme for this year’s edition of the marathon is ‘Dare Your Limit’.

Sogbesan said no fewer than 2,000 local and international runners, including Association of International Marathon and Distance (AIMS) rated runners would take with prize money ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.

He said N50,000 to N1 million was also at stake for overall and top 10 Nigerian finishers.

He said the OCM would further place Onitsha and Anambra on the world map as not just a place of entrepreneurs and intellectuals but a city of rich sports culture.

He called on the private sector to key into the project as partners to enable it to succeed.

On his part, Patrick-Estate Onyedum, chairman of Anambra State Sports Development Commission, said the state government was fully supporting the marathon.

Onyedum who was represented by Faith Okwonna, a director in the commission, said Onitsha Business School initiative was in line with the Chukwuma Soludo led administration’s call on the private sector to join in promoting the sports sector.

He lauded the efforts of the organisers and promised that the government would continue to play its role as a big stakeholder.

In his message, Igwe Alfred Achebe, said Onitsha was glad to identify with marathon.

Achebe who was represented by Chief Chike Ekweogu, the President General of Onitsha Improvement Union, gave his royal blessing and prayed for better outing in the second edition of the race.