The much awaited Lagos City Marathon has ended with over 20,000 athletes, including 150 local and international world-class runners who participated. Kenyan Marathoner- Abraham Kipton has won the inaugural edition of the race.
Citizens from Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Morocco, Uganda, India, Cameroon, Asia and other parts of the world were very much in the city of Lagos to contest for the ultimate $50, 000 prize money to be given to the first.In the male category, Peter Maham was the third Nigerian to cross the finish line, Ilia Pam was second Nigerian to cross the finish line, while Philip sharubutu was the first Nigerian to finish the race
Mary Akor came in as the first Nigerian female to cross the finish line, Olamide Oluwaseun was the second Nigerian female to finish the race; while Yohanna Donatu came in third place.
10:57′ Presentation of awards to best Nigerian athletes commence
Kenya’s Abraham Kipton came in first position, running 2hrs 16mins, 19seconds.
Kenya’s Hossei ran 2hrs 16mins 34seconds to come in second position.
Ethiopia’s Debebe Ethosa came in third, running 2hrs 16min 40sec
10:49′ Overall champions receive their awards from his excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode
10:44′ First female in the special category is awarded, Ann Babalola, while Abdulahi Mukaso is the first for the male special category.
10:36′ Third position in the female category goes to Ethiopia, Alis Thimbil from Kenya comes in second position, while Halima Hussein of Ehtiopia comes in first place.
10:32′ Award ceremony gets underway.
Halima Hussein of Ethiopia is the first female to cross the finish line.
10:27′ Governor Ambode thrills the crowd with a brief dance move.
10: 20′ Olamide prostrates for Governor Akinwumi Ambode, as the governor addresses all present at the Eko Atlantic
10:18′ Olamide has taken the stage, singing the Lagos song, the arena is charged, as everyone is in high spirit.
10: 05′ Solomon Dalung, minister of sports addressing the crowd at the Eko Atlantic.
Two more Nigerians have emerged winners, coming in 8th and 9th position.
Emmanuel Gyan made it as the first Nigerian to arrive the finish line, he came in 7th place.
The arena is agog with music and gyration, more runners arriving the finish line, the first female marathoner still awaited.
9:28′ More runners are coming in full throttle at the finish line.
9: 23′ Kenyan Zafaru Ali has come in first place place.
The finish line is already filled with fans in their thousands.
9:22′ Athlete 341 from Kenya is fast approaching the Eko Atlantic, he is leading with a very wide gap.
9:18′ Any time from now a winner will emerge.
The world record sits at 2hours 3minutes, it is now 1hour 56minutes into the race.
To have a realistic chance of winning, the front runners must keep an even pace, consistency matters now than ever before.
8:54: Top seeds are upon the Ikoyi-Lekki link bridge, heading towards Admiralty way.
Most areas in Surulere are under the watchful eyes of the Nigerian police, most roads are blocked.
8:34′ More and more runners are quitting. Some have ‘crashed’ just rear of the Third Mainland bridge.
8:32′ Top increasing their pace by the minute, they might have spotted a landmark that tells them the end is not so far away.
Abraham Kipton (first from left) is thw innefr of the first Lagos City Marathon, coming in at 2hours 16 minutes 21seconds
The first woman to finish the race.
Olamide Adedeji popularly called Olamide, media celebrity Jimi Disu, Rapper Ogunbote aka Jaayglow and national champion in 100m Adeseye Ogunlewe gave outstanding performances.
Meanwhile, winner of the 2015 Geneva Marathon, Peter Kiplagat of Kenya vowed to run the 42km road race under 2hrs 17 mins to ensure he returns home with the $50,000 (about N15million) star prize at stake.
Big IAAF gold label runners like Abraham Kiptom, Peter Kiptoo Kiplagat, Amos Mitel, Sammy Kipkorir Kibet, Simpson Pkanaan Limareng, Nelson Kirwa Rotich, Kipkemboi Hosea, Philip Kiplagat Biwott Kenya and Isaac Kipkeboi Kosgei, Mehair Fesshaye and Ali Abdosh Muhammed were also in town for today’s 42km marathon showdown.
8:25′ Front runners heading for Ikoyi through Osbourne
8:17′ Five front runners heading towards Ikoyi
Earlier, a man that tried to race with his dog was disqualified. “No pets” says the organizers.
7:52 Just five runner on the third mainland bridge
7:32′ Front runners cut off at Anthony bus stop
7:31′ Athlete with number 3465 just began his race from the starting point
7:20′ Runners descending Ojuelegba bridge
7:17′ Governor Ambode of Lagos in company of the Lagos state commissioner for sports Deji Tinubu addressing the crowd.
7:10′ The race has finally kicked off
7:05′ Final routine checks are on going
6:50′ Officials call on the athletes to get set. DJ continues to blast away as the marathon razzmatazz is set to completely engulf the Surulere.
6:31′ Though the sky is still relatively dark, more and more runners are here.
6:10′ Most of the foreign athletes have stormed Surulere, getting ready to go.
6:05′ Thousands of Nigerians are already at the Starting Point (National Stadium, Surulere).
Source: NAIJ. COM
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