By Chiekezie Emmanuel

Comrade Chizuruoke Victor on Friday emerged winner of the maiden ESUT Race held inside the university.

The competition organised by the Student Union Government (SUG) Senate Chief Whip, Sen Ikechukwu Moses saw the winner pocket M40, 000 cash for his effort.

The race which took off from the MTN Stand through Engineering-FANS and back to the starting point, saw over 20 student-runners took part in the race

Comrade Victor returned in a relative time to beat other runners to cement his name in history book as the first winner of the maiden competition, which the initiator said would be a yearly competition

Speaking on the motive behind the competition, Sen Ikechukwu said the race was organised to create students’ affinity and stronger tie between the university and the host community.

He noted that although the maiden edition was restricted to only ESUT students, he added that subsequent editions will feature runners from the host community

“The essence is to encourage daily exercise and establish stronger affinity among the students and between the university and the host communities. Exercise is key to a healthy living and this competition stands as an awareness to that effect. Many students don’t exercise, they are preoccupied with academic activities forgetting that they need to exercise daily to remain healthy, ” he said.

He explained why only ESUT students featured on the first edition

“Time factor was instrumental and also due to lack of a sponsor. I organised this through my personal support. If we have sponsors, in subsequent editions, because the competition will be an annual event, we will engage the host communities to participate.

“We need to work with people that are ready to develop ideas, impact some knowledge, wisdom and give a creative image in the community especially through sports. We need sponsors to make the competition more engaging and enriching” , he said.

He pleaded with the school management to approve the competition to be done every year, stressing that “It is in my agenda to hold the competition every year even beyond the school. Sports activities help in building fitness and I have in mind to be recreating it every year”

In his speech, the winner of the race, Comrade Chizuruoke Victor, thanked the organiser for the invitation and commended his fellow runners for their participation and appealed for it to be a regular event

“I thank God I was in shape when the race was organized, organizing more race would foster the activeness for development of student athletes who yearn for support. I commend my fellow runners, today was my day, tomorrow could be yours” the graduate of English and Literary Studies said.