$71,000 up for grabs as ECOWAS Abuja marathon holds March 1

Organisers of the 3rd ECOWAS Abuja Half Marathon say a total of $71,000 will be won by participants at the event scheduled for March 1.

Speaking on Thursday, Francis Njoaguani, the director of ECOWAS youth and sports development central and chairman of the Abuja international marathon, disclosed that male and female competitors in the main 21-kilometre race would win the same prize of $10,000.

“The second place will get $5,000, the third $4,000 and the fourth $3,000,” Njoaguani said.

Cash prizes would also be received by winners in the 5-kilometre fun race in the marathon where runners from 12 West African countries are expected to participate with Ghana entering seven runners.

According to Njoaguani, there will also be a special prize of $1,000 for the first ECOWAS runner to cross the finishing line while the first 200 runners to cross the line will get a special medal to show that they complete the race.

Gabriel Okon, the race director and former Nigerian athlete, described the half marathon as the most lucrative in Africa.

“We are not only creating an atmosphere for the unity of West African sports people, but also creating avenue for economic activity with the expo we have planned for business people to display wares that depict and promote culture in the subregion,” Okon said.

The Abuja half marathon is part of the various activities lined up to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which was founded in 1975.