Alli promises landmark 11th Okpekpe as elite field tops 50

webmaster May 28, 2026 News

Technical Director and General Co-ordinator for the 11th Okpekpe International 10km Road Race, Yusuf Alli, said the organisers of the only World Athletics Gold Label road race in West Africa, are put the finishing touches to what promises to be the biggest edition yet.

The Olympian said athlete arrivals began as early as Monday, with competitors streaming into Okpekpe, Edo State, from across the globe ahead of Saturday’s May 30th showpiece.

According to him, the 2026 edition is shaping up to be the most competitive in the race’s history with confirmation confirmed that over 50 elite athletes are expected on the start line, surpassing the 40-plus who competed at the previous edition.

“The numbers keep increasing at every edition. This should tell you of the pedigree of the race,” he said.

He noted that one of the most significant changes this year is a major upgrade to security arrangements, revealing that runner safety has been prioritised given the current security climate in Nigeria, with routes to be fully covered before, during, and after the race.

“Our athletes will be closely monitored,” he assured.

On the medical front, Dr. Sam Ogbondeminu returns as Race Medical Director a man whose credentials speak for themselves. He is the first Nigerian medical doctor to earn World Athletics certification as a medical director, and Alli expressed full confidence in him and his team.

“Since the inception of the race, there has been no issue at all,” Alli said. “We trust Dr. Sam Ogbondeminu and his team to deliver excellently on Saturday.”

Though the race has been dominated by East African runners since its inception, Alli acknowledged that closing that gap remains a work in progress for Nigerian distance running. However, he pointed to a rising generation of long-distance talent from the Mambilla Plateau region of Plateau State as Nigeria’s best hope of eventually ending that streak.

“The road race culture is improving in Nigeria,” he said. “Very soon, our brothers from the Mambilla part of Plateau State — who are built for long-distance races — will make the country proud.”

Looking at the broader landscape, Alli is optimistic about the commercial future of road racing in Nigeria. With marathon events already established in Lagos, Abeokuta, Bayelsa, Abuja, Jos, and several other cities, he believes the infrastructure is nearly in place.

“All we need to do is create an economic value chain around these events, and the commercial impact will be significantly felt,” he said.