By PATRICK ABANG, Calabar -.
Delta born athlete, Promise Omoro has won the 2023 HOWSA mini marathon race in the male category while Patience Okon who has represented the state and country in Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
While Patience Okon George won the star prize at the 2nd edition of Hope Waddel Old Boys Association 5km mini open marathon race in Calabar.
The event held around the Murtala Mohammed highway Calabar climaxed inside the 100+ year old school premises with over 100 marathoners participating.
The marathon was held in categories for 13-year old up to senior athletes as a way of revamping the game.
Patience won the female category and smiled away with N100,000, while a footballer from Delta State, Promise Omoro also got N100,000 as first prize in the male category.
Second and third prize winners in both senior categories also got N60,000 and N40,000 respectively.
Ms. Patience, who ran 13.59 seconds said it was her first time to run in a marathon race, although she did it to prepare herself for upcoming games such as National Sports Festival, All Africa Games and other Africa seniors.
The male winner, Promise said he has been preparing for the marathon since five months, and was very excited to come all the way from Delta State to beat other contenders.
National President of the Hope Waddel Alumni Association, Barrister Efio-Ita Ephraim, said 60 persons had registered for the marathon, not necessarily old students.
He said they will expand the third edition next year, adding that the portal for registration will open again on next month, January 2024.
He said their members in Europe and America are eager to sponsor even as the minister of sports has words of encouragement to expand it.
“Number one motivation to organise the game was for exercise. But as it has become more attractive with monetary value, we want to make next edition of international standard and more competitive”, he said.
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