Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has presented prizes to winners of the SDD Bayelsa Marathon organised by Igbeita Odonkumo.
Governor Douye Diri while speaking at the prize and medal presentation ceremony which held at the Peace Park, opposite Government House, Yenagoa urged the Private Sector, well meaning individuals and multi-national companies operating in the state to support sports development to fish out hidden talents and thanked the organisers for their commitment to keep the competition going since its inception.
Those who emerged winners include; Wadata Barau, a 24 year old 400 level Building Technology Student of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi who hails from Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi who clinched the third position at the last edition beat other contenders in the men’s race of 21 kilometers to grab N500,000, the first prize money while Nanford Mathias from Plateau State settled for second position and was rewarded with N300,000.
Other winners include Selengue Constant also from Plateau State clinched third position with N200,000, Yilmen Nicholas emerged victorious in the women category and smile to the bank with N500,000.
Aguofure Charity of Delta State and Goar Grace of Plateau State were second and third and were rewarded with N300,000 and N200,000 respectively ,while in the Teen Boys event, Andrew Anderson Bright beat other secondary school students to win the race and grabbed N150,000. Fineface Wisdom clinched second position with N100,000 while Abule Ayibakipriye and Moses Amalala were joint third winners and received N50,000 each while Unique Omosiri Francis topped other contenders in the Teen Girls race and grabbed N150,000 prize, Teibowei Joy and Mienyeseigha Hannah were second and third, and carted home N100,000 and N50,000.
In his remarks, the brain behind the SDD Bayelsa Marathon Race, Igbeita Odonkumo who is the Chairman of Bayelsa Marathon Club hinted that he started the competition in 2021 which he stated has attracted athletes from across the country and thanked the Miracle Governor for supporting him over the years to organise and sustain the competition.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of fifty school bags to all the participants in the teens category by the wife of the Governor, Ambassador Dr.(Mrs.) Gloria Ebibomo Diri.
