In a thrilling display of endurance and speed, Kenya’s Ezra Kipchumba Kering surged ahead to secure first place in the men’s division of the 2026 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, registering an impressive finishing time of 2:11:55 on Saturday.
The event, which drew international and local competitors, also saw Ethiopia’s Meseret Dinke take command in the women’s category, crossing the line at 2:37:36 to claim her dominant win.
Kering’s victory highlighted the marathon’s role in showcasing global talent while emphasizing support for Nigerian athletes, with Boyi Solomon Nyango emerging as the leading homegrown male runner at 2:25:32, and Deborah Pam Badung topping the Nigerian women with a time of 2:55:46.
The marathon’s organizers have placed a strong emphasis on incentivizing domestic participants, allocating a total of ₦11 million in prizes across both genders to foster development at the grassroots and professional levels in Nigeria’s long-distance running community.
For each male and female division, ₦5.5 million is distributed among the top 10 Nigerian finishers, promoting wider involvement and building a competitive base against world-class opponents.
Specifically, the highest-placed Nigerian in each category pockets ₦2 million, with the runner-up earning ₦1.5 million and third place taking ₦1 million.
Further down the rankings, fourth position nets ₦500,000, fifth receives ₦200,000, and sixth gets ₦100,000, while those in seventh through tenth each walk away with ₦50,000.
Persecondnews reports that the prize distribution strategy not only celebrates elite performances but also aims to inspire greater participation and create sustainable career opportunities for Nigerian runners in the international arena.
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