The serene city of Sagamu will this week host the world’s best athletes and ultra-run stars in the first edition of Valuejet IAU African Championships.
Tagged ‘Remo 2019’, the championships slated for December 7 is a three in one event that will feature more than 30 African countries in a 50km race, as well as non-championships athletes, who will run not just for their passion, but also for the thousands of dollars and medals at stake.
The event is also open to fun runners, who will have the opportunity to participate in a five-kilometer fun run that starts at the Ikenne Central Mosque and ends at the Sagamu International Stadium.
As it is the case with the non-championships runners, the five-kilometer fun runners are also competing for medals and cash.
Already, dignitaries for the championships have started arriving in Nigeria, with the Secretary-General and Head of Operation at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), Lami Fatty, the early bird.
Fathy, who arrived yesterday, was received by the President of IAU in Africa, Solomon Ogba and the Championships Technical Director, Yussuf Alli.
The trio of Ogba, Fatty, Alli and championships consultant, Bukola Olopade are expected to go through all the technical details of the championships in Sagamu today before Ogba and Fatty leaves for Port Harcourt, River State, where they will meet with Professor Ken Anugweje, the director of CAA High-Performance Center at the University of Port Harcourt.
Ogba and Fatty are also expected to be in Awka, Anambra State for the congress of Athletics Federation of Nigeria.
Speaking on the race, Ogba said expressed his delight that as the President of IAU in Africa, his country is hosting the first championships,
“This is a great honour for me. Delegates, including the world president of IAU, will be in Sagamu. We are expecting runners from more than 30 countries. Personally, I feel highly honoured. I must thank our sponsor, Valuejet, and consultant, Nilayo Sports, for making this possible. We are also grateful to the media and the sports family in Nigeria,” said Ogba.
