All hands are on deck to ensure the success of the 2023 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon according to the Race Director Gabriel Okon.
As part of the measure to ensure that participants and residents of Abuja have a memorable experience, the Race Director and other functional managers including officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) embarked on route tour to identify areas that will be closed permanently for the four hours that the race will last and areas that will be partially closed.
Okon disclosed that the half marathon will start in front of the ECOWAS Commission at 7 am, while the 5-kilometre fun race will start at Banex. Plaza.
He advised runners to get to start points before 6 am on race day December 16, 2023, because “once its 6 am, Thomas Sankara Street and the Yakubu Gowon Crescent will be totally blocked, there will be partial closure on Nnamdi Azikwe Expressway but the roads will be blocked from Banex Plaza to the Vehicle Park behind the Eagles Square and the Federal Secretariat.”
The Race Director urges residents of FCT especially those who live along the route to come out in their thousands and cheer the runners. He appealed for the cooperation of residents with the organisers, especially those who will give instructions to those who intend to go out on the race day,
Said Okon, “the good news is that if we start the race by 7 am by 10 am we are done with both the half and marathon and the 5 km. so we are appealing to residents for their cooperation. We will begin our route education in all the media this week, especially for those who live around the route and those who may have important business to transact around the area on race day.
“As for runners, our kits distribution starts on Monday, December 11 to Friday, December 15 at the vehicle park behind the federal secretariat, runners apart from getting the running vests and number bibs will also get a participant guide which contains all the information they need to know especially about road closure, alternative routes, how to get to the start point on race day and where they could park their vehicles’.
