By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
At last, the inaugural Premium Trust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon kicked off this morning from the iconic Abuja City Gate with a record 57 elite runners participating.
Prompt News reports that the 21km road race took off at exactly 7;00 am and will finish at the Area 10 Old Parade Ground, Garki by 12 noon.
The race, which is being organised by the Nilayo Sports Management Limited, will see the elite winner smile to the bank with five thousand dollars ($5,000) while the first and second runners up will smile home with three thousand dollars ($3,00) and two thousand dollars ($2,000) respectively
According to the organisers, the first finisher among the Nigerian runners will go home with the cash prize of N1million (N1, 000, 000:00 and while the second and third finishers will earn N750, 000 and N500, 000.
Recall at a press conference in Abuja on Friday ahead of the race, the Race Director and former Nigerian international, Yusuf Alli, assured participants of a seamless event, saying all the routes have been measured, marked and certified in line with international best standard.
He said 57 elite runners comprising 15 foreigners and 42 Nigerian runners will race for the ultimate cast prize of $5,000 on offer.
He said three different sets of times monitoring will be used for the race.
“We are keeping every runner and we are going to have three sets of times monitoring, all the three cannot fail. In Lagos, we started with two timing but here, we are starting with three, we are a step ahead. READ ALSO;
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The routes have been measured and certified, I can assure you that the race will be seamless and all runners that finished the race must have medals, we are going to do that,” Alli said.
