The Minister of Youth & Sports Hon. Nii Lante Vanderpuye had praised the Dansoman Keep Fit Club and Nestle Ghana for sustaining and maintaining the standards of the Accra Milo Marathon on its 29th edition.
This year’s event saw some changes in planning with the children separated from the main race and they were entertained by some popular comedians and had more fun with the provision of bouncing castles and other playing materials.
The Minister presented prizes to winners addressed the crowd who witnessed the race and informed Ghanaians that Sports which seem to be dying would be revamped.
He said plans have been laid to find solutions to the challenges and problems, noting that the Winneba Sports College is going to be expanded and made useful to produce more sports coaches and trainers to boast the sports player’s education and orientation.
He lauded Nestle Milo for supporting athletics through the Accra Milo Marathon that started some 29 years back and still being orgaised. He commended the Dansoman Keep Fit Club and its President Danny Welbeck and founding father Mr. Adjin Tettey as well as the Rats and Rabbits who have kept the Club active and running over the years.
Nii Lante Vanderpuye suggested a change in the schools’ calendar to enable Ghanaian students have some appreciation and affection for sports like it is done in America, Canada, Britain, Jamaica, Nigeria, south Africa and Kenya where the youth love sports and have benefitted from sports.
Mrs. Freda Duplan, Managing Director of Nestle Ghana who presented the awards to the best female athletes encouraged girls to do sports as they are now getting the same prize money as their male counterparts.
First female to cross the line in the 42,2km Elizabeth Azuire went home with 15,000ghc plus assorted Nestle Milo products and 50 cartons of Voltic Mineral Water. Sakat Lariba was second and she had 5,000ghc plus Nestle Milo products, while Elizabeth Bortsor also got 3,000ghc and Nestle Milo products.
Sensational Malik Yakubu who won a Peugeot car recently through the Millennium Marathon got the first prize in the men’s category. Experienced Kassim Mohammed was second with the third position going to Joseph Yandal.
Malik Yakubu who ran a very strategic race of steady consistent running with hot strides before tearing away from the pack did 2hours, 22minutes and 46seconds.
He was impressed with his performance and thanked God for a good season. He promised to keep on winning by training harder than ever as he is now the champion of the 29th Accra Milo Marathon.
This year’s Accra Milo Marathon was an improvement in organization with the media getting all the information they needed with ease and the dignitaries who attended being refreshed with Nestle Milo.
Danny Welbeck said credit must be given to the various Keep Fit Clubs who joined the Dansoman Keep Fit Club to make the event a success, the Ghana Police Service for excellent provision of security, Voltic Ghana, Holfard Insurance, Volta River Estates, AMA, National Fire Service, Duraplast, National Ambulance, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, National Communications Authority (NCA), 37 Military Hospital, Motorola, EXP Momentum and the media who publicized the event before and after the launch and the main race on Ghana Founder’s Day September 21, 2016.
This year’s Marathon was under the theme “Every Champion starts by taking the First Step”. Over 9,000 runners took part in the 42.2km race from Nungua, The Point to the Dansoman Liberty Park.
Credit: Sammy Heywood Okine
