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Kenya and Ethiopia once again dominated the 2023 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, with both nations winning the men's and women's categories respectively.
The winners of the 2023 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will enjoy a windfall in prize money and place in the 2024 Olympics.
Edwin Kibet Koech of Kenya won the 42km race, beating out more than 200 other marathon runners to take first place in the men's division.
The 39-year-old breast the tape ahead of Bernard Sang of Kenya and Dekeba Shefa of Ethiopia, who came in second and third, respectively. Koech received $50,000 while Bernard and Dekeba went home with $40,000 and $30,000 out of the $370,000 in prize money provided by Access Bank and its parent company, Access Corporation.
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The women's category
In the women's division, Guta Alemenesh Herpha of Ethiopia finished the race in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds, winning for the second time in five years after her victory in 2018.
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Urisa Kebene Chala of Ethiopia came in second with 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 44 seconds, and Naomi Maiyo of Kenya repeated her victory from 2018.
The Access Bank Marathon
One of the largest sports and lifestyle events in Africa, with exponential growth in participation and rewards, the event drew elite athletes from Africa and around the world as well as fitness and lifestyle aficionados to Lagos, Africa's commercial and cultural capital.
The Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has been running for just eight years, yet it has already earned the Gold title from World Athletics, the organisation that oversees international athletics.
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Ajoritsedere Awosika, Chairman of Access Bank PLC, commented on the marathon, saying, "As you know, sport unites Africa. We are succeeding in our corporate social responsibility goal of raising Africans' awareness of their wellbeing and improving their quality of life thanks to the substantial number of participants from all over the continent.”
"At Access Bank, we collaborate with the government to support sports & cultural development in Africa,” she noted.
It should be noted that winners of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon winners this year have qualified for the marathon competition in the Paris Olympics 2024.
Over 75 elite athletes competed
The eight-year-old marathon, sponsored by Access Bank, one of the business verticals of Access Corporation, aims to promote tourism, healthy living, and the exposure of Nigerians and other Africans to opportunities on a global scale in the fields of sports, culture, tourism, and other industries.
Over 75 elite international athletes competed for the $370,000 total prize money at the 2023 Marathon which drew over 50,000 participants.
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It has since evolved into a high-octane lifestyle and cultural occasion that offers Africans limitless opportunities to push the boundaries of leadership, excellence, and innovation.
Side attraction
Top Nigerian musicians Niniola and Zlatan Ibile, among others, gave performances that increased participation among athletes and lifestyle enthusiasts around the nation and boosted the tourism industry with thousands of visitors to the upscale Eko Atlantic City, the last point for the marathon.
Commenting, Nigeria's Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, said, "You cannot have the talent to represent your nation in international contests without grassroots sports development. "
"Our efforts to promote sports development in Nigeria will continue to gain pace with the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon in 2023. The widespread engagement of sports fans in the nation is proof that we have athletes that can compete on a worldwide level.”
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