William Amponsah
Asante Akyem Marathon winner, William Amponsah is expected to fly out of the country today for the Standard Charted Dubai Marathon, scheduled for this Friday, this writer has gathered.
A large number of 30,000 runners are expected to hit the streets of UAE (Umm Sugeim Road) for the 42km race.
At stake is a cool $200,000 for the winner, and according to team Amponsah (Marathoner and coach), preparations are far advanced to ensure he makes Ghana proud.
To Ghana’s representative, besides the financial package, the opportunity to represent the nation on such a platform has been his motivation.
Event Director Peter Connerton said on the event’s website “Dubai has become adept at staging world championships and world-class occasions but the sheer scale of the Marathon makes this a real challenge.”
“This is why we appreciate the co-operation we receive from many government bodies – we have developed a tried and trusted relationship with them and enjoy coming together in the weeks before the big day to finalise all our plans and take a close look at the route and where we need to place special emphasis in terms of safety and security.
It would be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and held under the aegis of the Dubai Sports Council.
The Ghanaian marathoner is being sponsored by Kwadwo Baah Agyeman, National Sports Authority (NSA) Board chairman.
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum