Cameroon runners, others to participate in 14km Calabar marathon – Official

Cameron runners have been listed as part of the 250 athletes that would participate in the second edition of the 14-kilometre Calabar Marathon scheduled for Saturday.

The chairman of the organising committee, Ekpenyong Ojoi, made this known in an interview with the newsmen in Calabar on Thursday.

He said the event would feature the best marathon runners from across the country, who would slug it out with their foreign counterparts.

Ojoi, who doubles as the Director, Cross River Tourism Bureau, said though only Cameroon had indicated interest in being part of the race as of Tuesday, more were expected before the close of entry.

According to him, the marathon is being packaged by the Tourism Bureau in partnership with the Calabar Marathon Foundation.

He said that the state government’s intention had been to make the race “an avenue for youths to exhibit natural talent and divert attention from negative tendencies.”.

“The Calabar Marathon is one of the key initiatives endorsed by Governor Bassey Otu as a strategic step to take our youths off the streets.

“You would agree with me that idleness breeds mischief, criminality, drug abuse, cultism, and other vices inimical to the well-being of our youths and society at large,” he said.

Ojoi said the marathon would take off from Millenium Park and end at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar.