Former Nigeria track and field stars, Henry Amike, Tony Osheku and Yusuf Ali have hailed Mike Itemuagbor and his company, Pamodzi Sports Marketing for putting Nigeria among the list of countries the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has counted worthy of hosting a world class road race in 2015.
The 10km Okpekpe road race is the brain-child of Itemuagbor and his company and was late last year granted a bronze label status by the world governing body or athletics.
IAAF Road Race Label Events are races that the international world body designates as one of the leading road races around the world.
‘Mike (Itemuagbor) has made us Nigerians proud. He has done tremendously well in the development of athletics, especially road races and I believe the government should just take advantage of the leverage he has brought into the sport to move it further up there, ‘said Amike, the reigning national 400m hurdles record holder (48.50) who ran in the final of the event at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Amike also wants government to give him (Itemuagbor) all the necessary encouragement so that more private sector participation can be achieved and make the race even bigger.
‘He has provided the opportunity for our middle and long distance runners to showcase their talents and earn a living. He has also proved that Nigeria can organised a strong, private-sector driven event and make a huge success of it’
Amike’s sentiments were echoed by Osheku, arguably Nigeria’s most successful coach of all-time.
‘He (Itemuagbor) deserves to be recognised by the government for helping to develop the youth while the government of Edo state in particular should find a way of appreciating him for putting the focus of the world on the hilly, sleepy town of Okpekpe and the beautiful state of Edo, ‘began Osheku, adding that Itemuagbor has done what no other Nigerian has ever done.
‘Since 2008 when the IAAF started labelling road races, I can’t remember any road race that has been so recognised here in Nigeria and I think even in West Africa. The Okpekpe 10km race is the first IAAF label event that will take place in Africa this year and one of only three that have been so recognised by the IAAF. The Cape Town Marathon in Cape Town, South Africa in September and the Marathon du Gabon on November 29 in Libreville, Gabon are the other two, ‘said Osheku whose younger brother, Lawrence emerged the best Edo state athlete in the last two editions.
Ali on his part is not surprised Itemuagbor and Pamodzi have been organising a truly world class event and believes the bronze label recognition by the IAAF was not by happenstance.
‘Pamodzi Sports Marketing is a leader in sports marketing, sponsorship, hospitality and Rights Acquisition business in Nigeria. In fact the Principal partners of Pamodzi Sports Marketing, have a combined experience that span several years in sport sponsorship, hospitality and event management in Africa, ‘revealed Ali, a former technical committee chairman of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria.
The edition of the race will hold next week Saturday in Okepke, Auchi and it will be the first that will be organised with a bronze label status hanging around it.
