A dramatic scene unfolded on the tenth Entry Financial institution Lagos Metropolis Marathon, on Saturday when the presidential candidate of African Motion Congress (AAC) within the final normal election, Omoyele Sowore, allegedly took over the seat reserved for Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on the Eko Atlantic end level of the race.
The race had simply ended with Kenya’s Edwin Kibet clinching the lads’s title with an improved time of two:14:19, whereas Ethiopia’s Guta Meseret Hirpa gained the ladies’s title.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who had arrived on the venue earlier, was invited to the rostrum to ship a speech and current medals to the winners.
Whereas the governor and another high dignitaries, together with the chairman of the Nationwide Sports activities Fee (NSC), Shehu Dikko had been on the podium, Sowore allegedly gained entry into the realm reserved for the governor and his entourage.
Safety personnel and organisers of the occasion and another dignitaries persuaded Sowore to go away the realm, however he allegedly refused, which sparked a tense standoff.
The state of affairs escalated, requiring the intervention of the Director Basic of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, and safety operatives to resolve the matter.
After a quick however intense confrontation, Sowore and his supporters had been finally escorted off the premises.
Talking with The Guardian, Olopade expressed his displeasure over the incident saying: “I didn’t count on Sowore to place up this sort of drama in a marathon occasion he has participated in over time. He’s a type of high dignitaries who often run for enjoyable within the marathon, however to drive his manner into the seat reserved for the governor is flawed. When my consideration was drawn to it, I rapidly went to inform him to vacate the seat, however he was not able to take heed to anyone. However thank God we had been capable of resolve it,” Olopade stated.
In the meantime, Kenya’s Edwin Kibet ran an improved time of two:14:19 to win the lads’s title. Final 12 months, the winner, Bernard Sang, additionally a Kenyan, crossed the road in 2:16:49.
However on Saturday, Kibet confirmed nice energy to win the lads’s race regardless of his late arrival in Nigeria. With out sufficient relaxation upon his arrival, the Kenyan confirmed everybody that he was actually an elite athlete to financial institution on. He went residence with the $50,000 prize cash.
Kipygon Hehemiah, additionally a Kenyan, was second in 2:16:37, simply as one other of their compatriots, Sang Benard Cheruiyot, was third in 2:17:17.
There was additionally a brand new winner within the girls’s 42k race. Ethiopia’s Guta Meseret Hirpa gained the title, beating her compatriot to assert her first title in Lagos. Hirpa obtained to the road in a time of two:37:04, inspiring an Ethiopian 1-2 within the girls’s marathon. Aleminesh Herpha (Ethiopia) was second in 2:38:01:39, whereas Kenya’s Jerono Peris was third additionally in 2:38:01:39.
Nyango Gyang Boyi emerged the lads’s winner within the Nigerian class in a time of two:25:41:58. Aside from profitable N2million as the primary Nigerian, Boyi additionally gained $4,000 for ending eighth total.
Blessing Shambor Solomon emerged winner within the girls’s class of Nigerian runners, whereas Elizabeth Nuhu Energy and Persistence Dalyop Mwanvwang completed second and third respectively.
Like Boyi, Blessing Solomon obtained N2 million for her effort.
Whereas talking on the occasion, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu stated that he was glad with the conduct of the 2025 Entry Financial institution Lagos Metropolis Marathon, including that the state would give the organisers extra help to make the 2026 version larger and higher.
On her half, the Managing Director/CEO of Nilayo Sports activities Administration Restricted, organisers of the occasion, Mrs. Yetunde Olopade, recommended the sponsor, Entry Financial institution, in addition to Lagos State authorities for his or her help.
