Ogbomoso Marathon Race holds Saturday, details released, as strategic security meeting holds

Ogbomoso Marathon Race holds Saturday, details released, as strategic security meeting holds

Niyi AJALA

The 4th edition of the Ogbomoso Marathon Race scheduled to hold Saturday December 20, will feature three races including 10km race, 5km race and 2.5km race.

This was disclosed at a media parley and security briefing held Monday at Evergreen Hotel Agbonin Ogbomoso. Also, relay race among selected secondary schools students would hold.

This is as adequate security during and after the event was assured while traffic agencies likewise pledged traffic monitoring along the routes to ensure safety of athletes.

The Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Department of State Service (DSS), Operation Burst, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Agency (OYRTMA) were among the security agencies represented at the meeting.

Prince Aderemi Oyebamiji, chairman of the marathon committee, stated all hands are on the deck to ensure a smooth event while co-chairman (logistics), Hon. Sola Kolawole, assured the little hitches experienced in previous years would not be allowed to mar this edition dubbed “Ogbomoso Marathon Race 4.0.”

According to the organisers, the 10km race for athletes aged above 17 years old would commence 6am at Welcome Point, High School area and the athletes would race through Ogbomoso Baptist High School, Aromowole junction, Ora Gada, Ora, Oja’gbo, Orita-Naira, Oke-Ado Akintola, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Isale General to round off at the Soun Stadium.

The 5km race for school children would take off at Soun Palace (site of Ajagbon) and would follow the same route as the 10km’s from Oja’gbo through to the stadium.

Meanwhile, it is disclosed that the 5km race would commence when the 10km race reaches Ora Gada. The fun trekking (2km) by the elderly would cover Oke-Akintola to the stadium through LAUTECH Teaching Hospital to Isale-General.

Hon Kolawole informed the organisers had secured partnership with the planning committee of the Ogbomoso Cradles Carnival in some aspects including security reiterating the competition aims to promote sports development and enhance fitness among the senior citizens.