Organisers of the gold label Okpekpe International 10km Road Race have thrown their weight behind the race’s 2023 champion and record holder, Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, to make a successful marathon debut on Sunday in Chicago.
Ebenyo, who ran a new 28:28 course record to win the men’s race at the ninth Okpekpe international 10km road race, will be moving up to the 42.195km marathon after carving indelible niches for himself as a world class 10km and half marathon runner as well as winning silver in the 10,000m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and at the World Road Running Championships, also in 2023.
The 29-year-old will be looking to emulate his country man, Evans Rutto, who ran the fastest marathon debut time (2:05:50) incidentally at the Chicago marathon where Ebenyo has also chosen for his debut in the event.
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Dare Esan, Okpekpe Road Race Director of Media and Activation, says organisers of the historic race in Okpekpe town in Etsako East local government area of Edo State are delighted to watch Ebenyo grow from being champion in Okpekpe to becoming a medalist at both the World Athletics Championships and the World Road Running Championships and believe he can make a successful marathon debut on Sunday.
“We are delighted to see one of our champions, Daniel Ebenyo is making the transition to the marathon, and we are confident he will make a successful debut at the Chicago marathon on Sunday,” said Esan who recalled Leul Gebresilase also made the transition from the 10km and half marathon to coming second at the Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon in 2018, a year after winning the Okpekpe men’s title.
The 2:04:02 he ran in Dubai is the third fastest time ran in a marathon debut.
Esan revealed that organisers of the Okpekpe Road Race have always ensured they follow the progress of athletes who compete in their historic event.
The Okpekpe International 10km Road race is the first road running event in Nigeria to have its race course measured by a World Athletics certified course measurer and the first to be granted a label status in 2015.
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