63 Year Old Man Participate In Tito Marathon In Benue
As Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna Cart Away Prizes
A 63years old man, John Igbokwe at the weekend participated in the second edition of the Tito Marathon In Makurdi, Benue State capital
Mr. Igbokwe started and finished the 32km race though he did not win, but received high commendation from the organizer, Tito Group of Companies Asiwaju Isaac Akinkunmi for his efforts.
Athletes from Kaduna, Plateau and Nasarawa States carted away majority of the prizes.
Adamu Shehu Muazu from Kaduna State, won the national men’s category in a time of 1 hr 30 mins to take home the cash prize of N100 ,000, while Raymond Simon and Daudu John all of Kaduna state, clinched second and third to win cash prizes of N50,000 and N30,000 respectively in the same category.
Elizabeth Nuhu of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abuja emerged winner in the female national category returning a time of 1 hr 46 mins to win N75,000 cash prize with Jamila Aminu and Lovina Audu from Nasarawa State winning the second and third prizes of N50,000 and N30,000 respectively in the same category.
Speaking during the presentation of prizes to the participants, the organizer of the event and Managing Director Tito Group of Companies, Asiwaju Isaac Akinkumi, explained that the aim of organizing the athletics activity, was to build a sense of competitive mind amongst athletes so that they could win laurels and make positive names for themselves.
Chief Akinkumi passionately appealed to Benue state government to take keen interest in sports development and encourage youth participations to keep them out of crime.
According to him, Benue name resonated in sports in the past and was known for several sporting activities, adding that they are looking forward to those old good days where Benue would reclaim it’s lost glory and disclosed that Tito had this year doubled the prizes to be won based on national and local categories to encourage Nigerians to keep training for Marathon competition.
He explained that over 290 from 10 states participated in this year’s second edition of the 32Km Tito Makurdi Marathon Race and assured that Tito would continue to sponsor the event every year in order to encourage sports development in Benue state and Nigeria as a whole, stating that plan is on the way to institute Tito under-15 football tournament for the younger age.
Also speaking , the Benue state director of sports, Philip Nongu represented by the Head of Coaching and Training Jonathan Wombo commended the management of Tito Group of Companies for consistently putting the event together for Benue and Nigeria athletics, saying it would encourage the participants to compete for other major marathon race.
He said the Marathon event being organized by Tito is a wake-up call for Benue to look back at her old good days and noted that there is a great improvement in the second edition and assured that there would be better improvement before the tenth edition of the race.
Speaking to journalists shortly after receiving his prize, Adamu Muazu who emerged first position in the male national category, said he had participated in so many Marathon competitions in and outside Nigeria and won several laurels.