Stars to watch in Okpekpe race

As the 2026 10 km Okpekpe Road Race holds today, Ethiopian star Lemi Teshome and Kenyan Fridah Ndinda will be the cynosure of all eyes. They were among top international elite athletes that arrived in Lagos on Wednesday en route to Auchi for the World Athletics Gold Label Okpekpe International 10km Road Race.

Teshome, who is just 19 years old, is currently ranked as the 11th fastest man over the 10km distance in the world this year, following the blistering 27:17 he ran last month in Lille, France.

He will be aiming to break the Kenyan dominance in the men’s title since 2022, when his compatriot Yasin Haji last won the race.

In the women’s category, Ndinda will be seeking to succeed her compatriot Gladys Kwamboka, who claimed victory in 2024.

Other top elite athletes in today’s line up include Kenyans Victor Kimosop, Julius Kibowen Kipkwony, and Mazon Kipngetich, who has already broken the 28‑minute barrier this year.

Uganda’s Enoch Chebet, Tanzania’s Jummanne Ngoya and Benjamin Ratsm, as well as Eritrea’s Felicien Muhitira, who clocked 2:06:54 over the full marathon in 2024, are also on the list of international competitors.

For the women, Kenya’s Sharon Chepkemoi and Ethiopia’s Wubrist Aschal are among the elite athletes expected to compete.

On the Nigerian front, men’s defending champion James Musa will be seeking to retain the title he won in 2024, but will face stiff competition from 2023 winner Ismael Sadjo.

In the women’s category, Patience Daylop Mwavwang is aiming for a hat‑trick of wins after her victories in 2023 and 2024. She will, however, have to contend with multiple champion Deborah Pam Badung, who is seeking a return to the podium as champion for the first time since 2019.

The Okpekpe International 10km Road Race remains a trailblazer in West Africa, being the first road race in the region to be granted a World Athletics Label status and the first in Nigeria to have its course measured by a World Athletics‑certified course measure.

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