By Duro Ikhazuagbe | This Day
Ethiopian world record holder, Haile Gebrselassie has confirmed his readiness to participate at the 2nd Glo Lagos International Half Marathon scheduled for February 21, 2009.
Speaking in Lagos at a media briefing to herald the highest prize money road race in the African continent yesterday, Violet Odogwu-Nwajei, president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) hinted that the Ethiopian, who only last September at the Berlin Marathon, smashed his previous best of 2hr 4min 26sec with a new world record of 2hr 3mins 59secs is really excited coming to Nigeria.
“We were together in Monaco recently and he confirmed to me that he is interested in coming to run the Glo Lagos International Half Marathon. Unlike the last time when he couldn’t make it, Gebrselassie will be in town for this second edition,” stressed the AFN president.
Gebrselassie, with two Olympic gold medals and countless other triumphs in road races, last August opted not to compete at the Beijing Olympics because of concerns over pollution.
However, the Ethiopian will not have the $50,000 first prize money at stake an easy pick. Sponsors of the half marathon, Globacom has line up 99 other top elite marathoners for this edition.
Globacom’s Executive Director, Human Resources, Mr. Adewale Sangowawa, while announcing the theme of the marathon as “Run for The Heart,” said that the theme enjoins every participant to run not only for the health of his or her own heart, but also for the health of other Nigerians.
He disclosed that the marathon would be used to raise money for the Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF). “I am pleased to announce that Globacom has entered into a strategic partnership with the Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF), to raise money for research into, as well as the prevention and cure of cardiovascular diseases.”
While giving a breakdown of the $210,000 prize money at stake, Mrs Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, the Project Manager of the marathon, said the overall winners in the male and female categories, will receive $50,000 each, the first runner up in the male and female categories will get $25,000 each while the second runner up in the male and female categories will cart home $15,000 each.
Unlike the first edition when there was nothing for the local runners, the first Nigerian male and female winners will go home with brand new Kia Picanto cars while the second set of Nigerians to breast the tape in the male and female categories will get N1 million each.
Globacom will also cap the special provision for the Nigerian runners with N750, 000 each for the third Nigerians in the male and female categories to finish the race.