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The Managing Director of Unicentral Resources Generation Limited Zsusanna Ogunmiloyo has commended the Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijani Aliyu for awarding the only slot for Full Marathon (42.195km) in the FCT to her firm, Unicentral.
\nA statement signed by Olukayode Thomas, Race Director, Abuja International Marathon, who is also the Head of Media and Publicity, said the management and staff of Unicentral are grateful to Dr. Aliyu who – after thoroughly examining their bids and presentations – finally okayed Unicentral\u2019s bid and signed a Memorandum of Understanding to give Unicentral the sole right to organize the only full marathon in FCT for the next five years.
\nOgunmiloyo, who is also the Managing Director of Abuja International Marathon, said Dr. Aliyu\u2019s approval is in line with the best global practices and standards approved by the governing bodies of athletics and marathons and road races in the world.
\nThe world\u2019s biggest marathon destinations like New York, Tokyo, Dubai, London, Vienna, Amsterdam, Chicago, Boston, Dubai and – nearer home Lagos, Nairobi and Durban – all have only one full marathon.
\nOgunmiloyo said, \u201cthe logistics involved in the organization of a full marathon is huge, especially partial closure and total closure of the entire route for the duration of the race. That is why most cities have one full marathon and other races are half-marathons, 15km, 10km, and 5km\u201d.
\nOgunmiloyo assures Dr. Aliyu, the Minister of FCT Hon. Mohammed Musa Bello, the permanent secretary Adesola Olusade, and the entire management and staff of FCTA, residents, and visitors to FCT that Unicentral will organize a world-class race.
\n\u2018\u2019Our dreams for Abuja International Marathon are very high, but we know they are achievable, \u201cshe said. \u201cThat is why we have headhunted some of the best brains in marathons and road races in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world for this project. They have been working on the project for the last three years and the results are feasible.
\n\u201cWe are the first full marathon in Nigeria to have its route measured and calibrated by AIMS and World Athletics before its first edition. Because we have experts working on the project, we have a runners\u2019 friendly routes for all our races. We are also the first to organize an all-inclusive race. We will have for the first time in Nigeria on December 17, 2022, a full international marathon, a 10km and a 5 km. This is a first in Nigeria. \u2018\u2019
\nOgunmiloyo also announced that the elite field for Abuja International Marathon is capable of running sub 2 hours:10 minutes, which will be another first in Nigeria.
\n\u201cWe are working all day and all night to deliver in Nigeria a world class-race that will rival the Abbott World Marathon Majors. We are appealing to Corporate Nigeria and Nigerians in general – especially citizens and residents of FCT – to support this noble project that will not only sell Abuja to the world as a tourist destination and a place to work and invest but it will also take away Abuja\u2019s blemish as the only iconic city in Africa without a world-class international marathon\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Managing Director of Unicentral Resources Generation Limited Zsusanna Ogunmiloyo has commended the Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijani Aliyu for awarding the only slot for Full Marathon (42.195km) in the FCT to her firm, Unicentral. A statement signed by Olukayode Thomas, Race Director, Abuja International Marathon, who is also the Head …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1001015,"featured_media":19938,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[183],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n