Ethiopians win 2022 Lagos City Marathon
Ethiopian runners claimed the men’s and women’s trophy at the 2022 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon on Sunday.
Ulfata Deresa crossed the line first in the men’s category of the 42-kilometre-long race in a time of 2:11:54.
He went home with a prize money of $30,000 as winner of the seventh edition of the marathon.
Two Kenyans, David Barmasai and Naibe Emmanuel, finished as first and second runners-up at 2:13:27 and 2:14:42 respectively. They got cash prizes of $20,000 and $15,000 respectively.
In the female category, Dagne Siranesh Yirga won the race at 2:33:50. She also received $30,000 cash prize.
Alemenesh Herehaguta and Naomi Maiyo, both Kenyans, won $20,000 and $15,000 as first and second runners-up in the female category.
The marathon is an elite-labeled athletic fiesta held in second weekend in February of every year in Lagos and draws participation from local and international teams in the athletic ecosystem. It kicked off at 6am.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who was at the event said the marathon has consistently placed Lagos on the global radar, noting that the sporting fiesta has become a yearly ritual for athletes.
While presenting the prizes to the winners, Sanwo-Olu encouraged participants from Nigeria to brace themselves for first prizes in next year’s edition.
Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare and Edo State Deputy Governor Phillip Shaibu were also at the marathon.
