Ethiopia’s Ulfata, Yirga win Lagos City Marathon

 Sanwo-Olu targets platinum level for marathon For the second time since the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon started, Ethiopians called the shot as they emerged winners in both the men and women categories. Ethiopian runners, Ulfata Gelata and Dagne Siranesh Yirga both received $30,000 each when they emerged winners in the men and women’s categories […]

•  Sanwo-Olu targets platinum level for marathon

For the second time since the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon started, Ethiopians called the shot as they emerged winners in both the men and women categories.

Ethiopian runners, Ulfata Gelata and Dagne Siranesh Yirga both received $30,000 each when they emerged winners in the men and women’s categories of the 7th edition of the marathon yesterday.

Gelata reached the finish line in 2.11.54s in the 42km road race making a record time as the second-fastest ever in the history of the annual marathon.

The second and third place positions were won by Kenyans. While David Barmasai returned to his country with $20,000 after he finished within 2:13:27s, the 2021 winner of the Lagos marathon, Emmanuel Naibei settled for third place in 2:14:42s as he was rewarded with $15,000.

As for the women’s category, Ethiopia’s Dagne winning time was 2 hours 33 minutes and 50 seconds. She was followed in second place by Kenya’s Alemenseh Guta and Kenya’s Naomi Maiyo in third place.

In the Nigeria category, Shehu Muazu and Fadekemi Olukemi were the top finishers who won the N1m prize monies set aside for the indigenous athletes.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu crossed the finish line of the Marathon, ceremonially becoming the first athlete to breast the final ribbon.

He took off from the State House in Marina, jogging through highways to Eko Atlantic City within 8km distance in 40 minutes.

Sanwo-Olu said, “Every year, new records are broken and the marathon gets bigger and better. The goal of the marathon is to use sport as a tool to promote physical fitness, togetherness, resilience and every virtue that can make human beings progress and live fulfilling life.

“We target the next two years to get this marathon to the platinum level, which means the event would be fully globalised.”