An 80-year-old ex-serviceman identified as Nathaniel Reuben Tom-Isele has defied warnings and will be participating alongside 949 runners in an 8-Kilometer marathon in Bayelsa State.
According to the organisers of the Unity Marathon, the octagenarian who was advised not to participate has already begun training for the race scheduled to hold on the 13th of August, 2021.
Tribune reports that 200 women and 750 men would participate in the marathon sponsored by the member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency, Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli.
Elder Tom-Isele, who is an indigene of the Okpoama Kingdom in Brass Local Government Area has been cleared by the medics to participate in the marathon targeted at discovering long-distance runners of Bayelsa extraction.
The participants have been medically cleared and the organisers are set to receive visitors and participants from Nembe and Brass to compete, according to the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Chief Feliks Sieri.
Sieri said, “The hospitable people of Nembe-Brass are set and prepared. He said somebody from the approved communities from Nembe and Brass must identify the participants. And the age is limitless.
“There is an 80-year-old ex-serviceman who was convinced not to participate but he refused and insisted he will participate. He is already training along the route of the marathon.”
Sieri confirmed that three medical doctors, nurses, and auxiliary staff would be on the ground with well-equipped ambulances to take care of participants, adding that security issues will be taken care of by security personnel which include a local security group known as Action Committee on Security.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Media/Publicity Committee, Elder Noel Dimi Inafa, said the race is for both professionals and upcoming long-distance runners from Brass and Nembe LGAs as well as non-indigenes domiciled in the area.
Elder Inafa said the male marathon winner is expected to get N500, 000, while the first runner up will get N350, 000 and the second runner up gets N 150, 000.
The first female marathoner is expected to get N300, 000, while the first runner-up goes home with N200,000 and the second runner-up will receive N100,000, including fabulous consolation prizes for those within the 4th – 10th position mark in both categories.
