The Access Bank Lagos City Marathon 2023 was a race to remember, as 50,000 participants from around the world came together to compete for the $50,000 cash prize. The starting gun went off at 7:00 a.m on Saturday at National Stadium, Surulere, and the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, was on hand to give the runners a send-off.
The 42km race started at the National Stadium in Surulere and ended at the Eko Atlantic City in Victoria Island, and the residents of Sports City, Lagos, lined the streets to cheer on the runners. The course was challenging and the competition was fierce, but it was Kenyan runner, Edwin Kibet, who emerged as the winner with a time of 2:14:06.
Kibet joined a long line of Kenyan winners of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, as the East African nation has dominated the race since its inception. Kenya has won the race in 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2021, and Ethiopia has won twice, in 2019 and 2022. This year’s race was expected to be won by David Bamassai, the 2020 winner and race record holder with a time of 2:10:23, but he collapsed during the race, opening the door for Kibet to take the top prize.
Ethiopian runner, Dekeba Tafa, came in second place with a time of 2:14:54, while another Kenyan, Bernard Sang, came in third place with a time of 2:17:14. In the women’s category, it was an Ethiopian affair as Alemenesh Guta won her second Access Bank Lagos City Marathon with a time of 2:40:42. Guta, who won her first marathon in 2018, is a regular participant in the race and came in second place in the 2021 edition. Urisa Kebene Chala finished in second position with a time of 2:40:42, while Naomi Maiyo, who came in third place in the 2022 edition, maintained her spot with a time of 2:40:56.
The Nigerian male runners also performed well, with Gyan Boyi coming in first place with a time of 2:48:33. Adamu Shehu came in second place with a time of 21:30:52, and Friday Yohanna came in third place with a time of 2:33:02. In the female category, veteran runner Deborah Pam took first place with a time of 2:48:33, Elizabeth Nuhu came in second place with a time of 3:00:20, and Dinatu Yahana came in third place with a time of 3:02:12.
The winners of the 2023 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon were elated with their victories and spoke of the excitement of running in such a vibrant and competitive race. This year’s edition was upgraded by the world athletics body to a gold label, less than eight years after its maiden edition, and it continues to be one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the world of marathons.
In a chat with the media when questioned on preparations towards the 2023 edition of the race, Mr Yussuf Alli, the General manager of the Marathon, said the marathon had to return to its pre-COVID prize money at this edition. It was a step that became necessary at the time due to the global financial impediments necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, its status as one of the most competitive athletics meets in Nigerian remained undiminished and it had the pull to attract some of the best long-distance talents at home and on the continent as a whole. It is also a testament to how far the marathon segment of athletics has become and the attraction it has brought for Nigeria.
For no less than eight unbroken years, the Lagos International Marathon has continued to feature as an annual staple in the Nigerian athletic calendar. The 42 km race, which is organised by the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has been contested in since 1983, tracing its roots back to several recurring half marathons held in the city. Regularly starting at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, the marathon course leads runners along the Third Mainland Bridge, over the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge, and finishes at Eko Atlantic.
The first edition of the Lagos International Marathon in the format that it is in today, took place in 2016, attracting over 20,000 participants and was sponsored by Access Bank. Kenyan national Abraham Kiptum emerged as the first winner, setting a course record time of 2 hours, 16 minutes, and 21 seconds. The fastest female athlete was Halima Hussein Kayo of Ethiopia, who ran a time of 2 hours, 38 minutes, and 36 seconds.
In the following year, Abraham Kiptum returned to defend his title, finishing the race in 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 20 seconds. His female compatriot, Rodah Jepkori Tanuyi, emerged as the first-place winner in the women’s category. In the 2018 edition of the marathon, a 10 km Family Race was introduced, starting at the Lekki Roundabout and ending at Eko Atlantic. This race was aimed at encouraging participation from non-professional runners, promoting fitness, fun, and health. In the same year, French-Kenyan national Abraham Kiprotich set a new course record of 2:13:04 hours in the men’s category while Ethiopian national Alemenesh Herpha Guta came first in the women’s category.
The 2019 edition of the Lagos International Marathon saw about 100,000 competitors, with Ethiopian national Sintayehu Legese winning the race in a finishing time of 2 hours, 17 minutes, and 28 seconds in the men’s category. His female compatriot Dinke Meserete was the first to cross the finish line in the women’s category. The 42 km race offered a grand prize of $50,000 for the first-place winner, $40,000 for the second-place winner, and $30,000 for the third-place winner.
In the 2020 edition, Kenyan Olympian David Barmasai emerged as the winner, setting an unofficial course record time of 2:10:00. He went home with a whopping $70,000 prize. Sharon Cherop of Kenya was the first female to cross the finish line. The 2021 edition saw Emmanuel Naibei of Kenya win the men’s category while Meseret Dinke of Ethiopia came first in the women’s category. In the last edition before this year’s, held in 2022, Deresa Geleta of Ethiopia won the men’s category with Siranesh Yirga of Ethiopia emerging as the first-place winner in the women’s category.
Yet, the Lagos City Marathon is not the only long-distance race in the country, even if it is unrivalled in its grandeur. In 2021, for instance, there was the first Ijesha Grand Marathon, a 10 km road race, that took place in Ilesa, the capital of Ijeshaland, and attracted some of the best road runners in Nigeria. The event, which is also endorsed by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and directed by renowned coach and former middle distance champion, Chief Tony Osheku, was considered a success. According to participants, the seamless organisation of the race was a major highlight.
Fadekemi Olude, a top female road race and walk runner in Nigeria, praised the level of security provided during the event, saying “This is one of the very few road races in Nigeria that we had great security, especially on the course. In some races you will be competing with motorcycles (Okada) and even cars but here (Ilesa), there was nothing of such.” The race started at the Ilesa Stadium in Irojo and ended at the ultra-modern Palace of Owa Obokun of Ijesha land, His Royal Majesty, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran. Olude won the women’s title and received N400,000 as the top prize money. Overall, the Ijesha Grand Marathon was a successful event, showcasing the talent of Nigerian road runners and setting a positive example for future races in the country.
Also, the maiden edition of the 21 km Kaduna Half Marathon was successfully held in 2020, with Kenyan athletes John Muirurri Mburu and Caren Jebet Maiyo taking the top prizes. The Kaduna State Government expressed its gratitude to the runners, sponsors, citizens, media, and government agencies that helped to stage the event, which was praised by former Nigerian long jumper and three-time Olympian, Yusuf Alli, who is also the General Manager of Kaduna Marathon. Alli described the event as a three-in-one race, making Kaduna the first state in sub-Saharan Africa to host such a race. Although foreign athletes dominated the 21 km half marathon, two Kaduna runners won the top prizes in the 5 km race and runners from Plateau State won the 10 km category.
Furthermore, the fourth edition of the community marathon series in Nigeria is set to take place in Lagos on February 19th, dubbed the “Epe Run.” The race will feature both 10 and 5 km races, with a variety of cash prizes and medals for winners in different categories. The event will also feature aerobics, local acts, and acrobatics. The Chief Organizer Moses Nwanze stated that the Epe Run will promote unity and sportsmanship, and has already been endorsed by the local monarch, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun.
There is also the Abuja City International Marathon, the first full international marathon in the Federal Capital Territory, will be held on April 29, to look forward to. The marathon aims to foster unity and increase the general well-being of FCT residents. The theme of the maiden edition is “A Race for Unity,” and Nilayo Sports Management, the biggest organizers of Marathon races in Africa, will sign a multi-billion naira contract to organise the event. The race has been approved by Athletics Federation of Nigeria, the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, the Federal Capital Territory, and the Ministry of Sports, Youths, and Social Development. The target is to make the Abuja City International Marathon the second Gold-Label status full marathon race in Nigeria after the Lagos City Marathon. All of these are joined by other long distance races like the Bonny Island Marathon in Port Harcourt, the Hwosa Marathon in Calabar and the Ijebu Heritage Half Marathon in Ijebu Ode, among others.
It is evident that the Lagos City Marathon and other long-distance races in Nigeria hold a lot of promise for the country’s sports scene. The organisers’ efforts to reach the Elite Platinum Label status have not gone unnoticed, as they continue to inspire international long-distance races that draw the best athletes to Nigeria. With this, Nigeria is poised to establish itself as a destination of note in the world of standard international marathons. This not only brings recognition and prestige to the country but also has the potential to drive economic growth through increased tourism and investment. Overall, the future looks bright for Nigeria’s long-distance racing scene, and the country is well on its way to becoming a major player in the world of marathons.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
