Alasana
Colley has emerged champion of the third annual marathon competition held at
Besse village in the Foni District last Saturday, after competing in the 10km
run in 36 minutes.
He was seconded by Yankuba Sarjo, who completed the race in 40 minutes, and John Mendy who took 3rd with 48 minutes.
Alasan Colley received a trophy whilst Sanko and Mendy received other prizes.
In the various distances of the run, which were in two phases, runners of the 10km race kick-started from the bridge at the entrance of Bullock village near the police checkpoint, while the 5km run started at Bajana village. Both runs ended at the Besse village down Sankiliba Lodge.
However, Bilali Sabaly took 1st in 25 minutes in the 5km run for boys, while Abdoulie A. Jallow and Omar Touray ended in 26 minutes. Mariama Jobe and Anna Badgie both completed their 5km run for girls in 27 minutes.
The third edition of the marathon was done in collaboration with students of the Institution of Traveling and Tourism of The Gambia (ITOG), who also participated with youth of the neighbouring villages.
Speaking to Pointsport, the initiator of the marathon race, Lamin Badgie, revealed the vast difference they have realised in improvement since the inception of the marathon over the years.
Badgie, who is also the proprietor of Sankiliba Lodge, said the marathon, which used to hold at the end of the rainy season, was held during the tourist season as a result of an advice he received from the late Mamudou Max Jallow who was head of the well-known Brufut marathon and former executive secretary of the National Sports Council.
While calling for more participation in the competition, he urged members of Besse village to take the event seriously as it is not his but meant for the villages, the whole of TheGambia and nearby communities of neighboring countries .
Badgie also extended gratitude to members of the village and students of the ITOG for their collaboration.
