Athletes to battle for N60m at Okpekpe race

A total prize purse of over N60m will be on offer at the eighth World Athletics Elite Label Okpekpe International 10km Road Race on Saturday in Okpekpe, Edo State, after organisers announced an unchanged prize money outlay on the event’s website www.okpekperoadrace.com.

In the outlay, a total of $103,000 is on offer as prize money to the top eight finishers in the men and women’s elite race, with the winner in each gender category going home with $20,000 while $13,000, $9,000, $6,500 and $3,000 respectively will go to the second, third, fourth and fifth place finishers.

Organisers also announced an unchanged prize money outlay for Nigerian runners at the race.

The first place finishers in both the men and women’s race will go home with N1,000,000 while the second to the fifth place finishers will get N600,000, N400,000, N250,000 and N150,000 respectively.

“The prize money on offer at the Okpekpe race is clearly more than the minimum gross guaranteed prize money specified in World Athletics’ road race regulations,” Zack Amodu, the race director, said.

‘’Athletes running for the prize money on offer must also achieve a level of performance before they can redeem their respective prizes.