World AIDS Day: Teenage athletes clinch trophies in Calabar

In commemoration of the 2021 world AIDS day in Calabar, two teenage athletes emerged the winner of the 2021 Quarter Marathon Race.

Eteng Godsmind Nelson, (10) from Excellence Standard Institute of Success, Calabar and Samuel Solomon, 19 years old (male), from Government Secondary School, Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State on Wednesday clinched the top prize in their different categories.

“My name is Eteng Godsmind Nelson, I am happy to emerge as the first runner up on the female category, I feel amazing,” she said.

“I am Samuel Solomon, last edition I took part, actually I feel excited. This is my third time in participating. I used to emerge 2nd and 3rd, but this year, am so proud to come first,” he said.

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Speaking, the organiser of the marathon,  Dr. Daniel Mbado Okwoche, said the competition was part of the programmes lined up in commemoration of the 2021 World AIDS Day celebration.

She said “This is the fourth edition of the Quarter Marathon Race (QMR),  for young athletes at the secondary schools level. It is a race that is meant to create awareness on the HIV and AIDS pandemic.

“We usually hold it a day before the World AIDS Day. The rave is christened in line with the first lady, Dr. Mrs Linda Ayade’s World AIDS Day and HIV /AIDS campaign and awareness in the state.

“It is a Quarter Marathon Race, because an actual Marathon race is supposed to be 42 kilometers, so half of a Marathon is 22 kilometres,  and a Quarter Marathon is  10.5 kilometres. This is because you see all of the athletes are adolescents, and teenagers between the ages of 13 to 19 years of age, we think it is proper to limit them to this level of the competition.

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“This is part of our advocacy and awareness creation against HIV AIDS, their participation in this race will keep them healthy too.  Catching this athletes very young will also go a long way to strength our sports sector that is lowering on daily basis.

“These athletes may end up representing the nation in national and international competitions. Five years from now, they may go higher than this. By organising this program, it serves as a reminder to the young people that HIV/AIDS is a scourge that must be watched against,” he said.

The competition featured 30 athletes from different secondary schools across the state.