Fikadu Dawit, a Bahraini athlete, on Saturday won the seventh edition of the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race at Okpekpe in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo.
Dawit emerged the winner of the race’s 2019 edition with a time of 29 minutes three seconds to claim the 20,000 dollars prize money.
For the first time since its inception, the IAAF Silver Label Okpekpe Road Race has produced a non-African winner.
Berehanu Tsegu from Ethiopia came second, returning after 29 mins four secs for a 13,000 dollars cash prize.
John Lotiang of Kenya was third with 29 mins 17 secs for a 9,000 dollars prize money.
Dawit who won the male category tagged “Elite men athletes’’ said he was very delighted to have emerged the overall winner of the competition.
Lliya Mwanta from Kenya won the elite female athletes’ category with 33 mins 14secs and was followed by Tuitoek Jepchir from Kenya who returned 33 mins 18secs.
Kasegn Asefa from Ethiopia emerged third with 33 mins 31 secs.
The winner of the female elite category was awarded 20,000 dollars and the second-placed athlete 13,000 dollars, while the third-place winner got 9,000 dollars.
There was excitement in the Nigerian category where a couple emerged victorious in male and female categories respectively.
Emmanuel Gyan Gwom was the first Nigerian runner with a time of 31.42secs, while his wife Deborah won the female category.
Deborah had won all the previous editions in this category.
The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, who also participated in the Very Important Person (VIP) category, commended the organisers of the competition for the improvement.
