The 10th Port Harcourt International Marathon, known as the Green Race, will take place on November 14, 2026, with organisers expecting at least 10,000 athletes from across Africa to compete in the 21-kilometre event.
Race plans
Convener Goodluck Azunwane announced the plans in Port Harcourt on Monday, saying the international race would showcase the city’s tourism attractions, business and economic opportunities, youth development efforts and cultural identity.
The event is being delivered with the Rivers State Government and private-sector partners. Organisers said the marathon would grow in scale in future editions and would continue to welcome additional partners.
A renewed city campaign
Azunwane said the marathon signals the revival of a 10-year initiative aimed at changing how Port Harcourt is viewed internationally. He said the “Port Harcourt, to the World” project had spent a decade promoting a new narrative about the city, and that although its social-media presence had become less prominent, its activities had continued.
He added that the initiative had worked behind the scenes by collaborating with, advising, supporting and promoting projects highlighting Port Harcourt’s resilience, creativity, culture, enterprise and potential. In his view, lasting influence is determined less by public noise than by the legacy an organisation helps create.
Azunwane said the marathon would serve purposes well beyond competition, bringing together unity, tourism promotion, economic development, healthy living, youth empowerment and international exposure. He also pledged that the initiative’s next 10 years would be more ambitious, more prominent and more influential.
