Sports Features of Sunday, 22 September 2013

Source: Sammy Heywood Okine

27th Accra Milo Marathon – So far the best

The 27th edition of the Accra Milo Marathon will go into the history books as the best organized event by the Dansoman Keep Fit Club and Nestle Ghana Limited.

For the first time in the history of the Accra Milo Marathon, a Media Center with internet facility was provided and the journalists who covered the event had much time and room to carry out their job with ease and joy.

Security arrangements by the Ghana Police and Accra Metropolitan Guards were perfect like the medicals provided by the St. John’s Ambulance and the Ghana Red Cross who turned up in their numbers to support the event.

Members of the Dansoman Keep Fit Club (DKFC), the Rats and Rabbits also comported themselves well, but were sad that all the hounours went to outsiders.

Event organisers, EXP Momentum must be congratulated just like the winners of the 27th Accra Milo Marathon which saw LAC Alhaji Mohammed Kassim of the Ghana Air Force beating last year’s winner from Kenya, Alex Kimeli.

Kassim run 2 hours 27 minutes and 43 seconds against Kimeli who did 2 hours 31 minutes and 10 seconds. Third placed Akakiya Atampiro run the 42 kilometers race in 3 hours 31 minutes and 24 seconds. In the female category Millicent Boadi, the nine times winner was beaten by last year’s champion, Elizaberth Borstso who made the time of 2 hours 58 minutes and 11 seconds.

Both male and female winners carried home 12,000 Ghana Cedis plus products of Nestle and other sponsors of the Marathon, they are Voltic Mineral water and Metropolitan Insurance Company Ltd.

Three pupils from the Upper Easr region swept the awards in the Under 15 girl’s category; they are Sakat Lariba, Adombila Saraphina and Sagbil Sandra whilst the boys honours were shared by Ishmael Arthur, Yusil Malik and Daniel Agyeman.

Managing Director of Nestle Ghana Ltd was happy with the massive turn out and promised to continue supporting the biggest athletics event of the year in Ghana. He said Milo is identified with sports and the brand creates high value. He congratulated the participants and winners as well as media, security, medics and all who ensued that the 27th Accra Milo Marathon was successful.

Hon. Rashid Pelpo, Minister of State at the Presdency who was the special guest of honour commended the winners and organisers as he encouraged Ghanaians to keep on doing physical activities to be fit and healthy. He urged other corporate bodies to emulate the example of Nestle and spport Ghana sports.

The man of the day, Alhaji Kassim gave much credit to his mentor, Air Vice Marshall Sampson Ojie for encouraging him and even sponsoring him to the Hajj in Mecca. He said the 27th Accra Milo Marathon was his best as he had improved from the 14th position five years ago to become the number one. He was second in the last two editions and trained hard to win this time round.

Nine times female champion, Millecent Boadi who took leave to give birth promised to come back to winning ways, but it would be difficult as most of the females are improving and finding ways to topple her.