More than 3,000 athletes are expected to participate in the 2026 edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 3, in Ogun State.
Organisers, Nilayo Sports Management, said the number of registered participants has increased ahead of the fifth edition of the road race.
The race will begin at Macjob Grammar School, Onikolobo, at 7 a.m. and end at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Kuto, taking runners through different parts of Abeokuta.
One of the notable features of this year’s event is that it will be a 100 per cent Nigerian athletes’ competition, meaning only Nigerian runners will be eligible to compete.
The event is expected to attract athletes from different parts of the country, alongside sports administrators, former athletes, sports enthusiasts and members of the public.
Beyond the sporting competition itself, organisers expect the race to generate economic activity in Abeokuta.
Food vendors, transport operators, artisans, hotels and other small businesses along the route could benefit from the increased movement of athletes, spectators and visitors coming into the city for the event.
Organisers have also presented the race as an opportunity to combine athletics with tourism and local economic activity, giving visitors an opportunity to experience different parts of Abeokuta.
Road races have increasingly become an avenue for promoting athletics at the grassroots level because they provide opportunities for athletes outside the traditional stadium-based competitions.
The participation of more than 3,000 runners also demonstrates the growing interest in mass-participation sporting events in Nigeria.
For young athletes, local competitions can provide opportunities to gain experience and compete against runners from different parts of the country.
The Abeokuta race is scheduled for October 3, just two days after Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day anniversary. Its all-Nigerian format also places emphasis on domestic athletic talent and provides another platform for Nigerian runners to compete on home soil.
As the event approaches, attention will now turn to the athletes who emerge as the leading performers when the race takes place in Ogun State.
