East Africans domineering of top prizes at the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon continued yesterday at the 10th edition as Kenya’s Edwin Kibet coasted to the finish line in 2:14:19 to win the 42kilometer marathon race. 

He was also presented with the winner’s prize of $50,000. 

Another Kenyan,  Kipygon Hehemiah (2:16:37), placed second while winner of last year’s race, Bernard Sang Cheruiyot, also a Kenyan, crossed the line in 2:16:49 to settle for the bronze.

The dominance of the Kenyans was however halted in the women’s category of the marathon as Ethiopia’s Guta Meseret Hirpa emerged winner.  Hirpa got to the finish line in a time of 2:37:04 while another of her compatriot, Aleminesh Herpha was second in 2:38:01:39, while Kenya’s Jerono Peris was third also in 2:38:01:39. Interestingly, a Nigerian male runner, Nyango Gyang Boyi, broke into the Top 10 finishing overall eight as well as the winner in the Nigerian category in a time of 2:25:41:58.

  Apart from winning N2million as first Nigerian, Boyi also won $4,000 for finishing 8th overall.

  Blessing Shambor Solomon emerged winner in the women’s category of Nigerian runners, while Elizabeth Nuhu Power and Patience Dalyop Mwanvwang finished second and third respectively. Like Boyi, Blessing Solomon got N2 million for her effort.

   Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said on Saturday that he was satisfied with the conduct of the 2025 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, adding that the state would give the organisers more support to make the 2026 edition bigger and better.

 Though, the organisers were targeting a finish of 2hrs: 10minutes in Saturday’s Race to make the Platinum Label ranking for the race possible, 

General Manager of the Lagos City Marathon, Olympian Yusuf Ali, said he remains hopeful the outcome of Saturday’s race will be enough to clinch the Platinum Label. 

  “Our target was for any of the elite athlete to finish the race at 2hrs 10minutes, which is one of the major criteria to get the Platinum Label. I know that all other requirements for the label have been fulfilled by the Access Bank Lagos City marathon and we are hoping to be the first in Africa to achieve the Platinum. We are expecting confirmation from World Athletics very soon,” Ali stated.

  The Managing Director/CEO of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Mrs. Yetunde Olopade, was full of praises for the sponsor, Access Bank, as well as Lagos State government for their support.

  Earlier, the winner of the men’s race, Kenya’s Edwin Kibet said he would be available in Lagos next year to defend his title.

  A total of seven gold medal runners in male category, two in Platinum, five gold labels for females and one in Platinum category were among the over 30,000 runners that took part in Saturday’s race.