Third of April date has been chosen for the 21-kilometer marathon instituted in Ilesa Uniq FM and Freedom TV Ilesa to create platform for long distance athletes in Osun State and environ to showcase their potentials.
The road race has also received the nod of Athletics Federations of Nigeria (AFN).
The date was disclosed during the official unveiling of the historic event held at the premises of BELTIJ LTD, Kilometer 3, Ilesa/Akure Expressway, Iwaraja, Ilesa, the firm that is sponsoring the road race on Friday 15th January 2021.
A member of the board of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Dare Esan who led other notable officials from the athletics governing body that included top Athletics Coach, Tony Osheku to the unveiling pledged to give the road race all necessary support needed to earn recognition of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) like other well organized road races in Nigeria such as Okpekpe Race and Lagos Marathon.
Esan, an Ijesa-born and well-travelled sports journalist with preference for athletics reporting expressed his joy over the development while thanking the organizers and sponsor for deeming it fit to bring a high-profile athletics event to Ijesaland.
The CEO of BELTIJ Ltd, Tijani Remilekun Usman who sponsored the race in his remark said he decided to sponsor the event in order to take the youths out of streets and redirect their focus from cyber crimes to good things sports can offer.
“Most of our youths nowadays occupy themselves with unproductive activities with youthful exuberances like illicit drugs-taking, cultism violence practices, juvenile delinquency and other social vices. I believe they can be positively engaged in healthy sporting activities that can enhance their future. I decided to bring my company to Ilesa with the view to provide employment opportunities for the youths”, Tijani noted.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
