Kenyan runner Ezra Kipchumba Kering has emerged winner of the men’s race at the 11th edition of the Lagos City Marathon.
He finished the 42-kilometre race on Saturday with a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes and 55 seconds, beating other elite runners to the gold medal.
Kering battled wet weather during the competition but still delivered a strong performance.
His finishing time came close to the course record set in 2020, missing it by 1 minute and 32 seconds.
Despite the tough conditions, he maintained a steady pace to secure victory at the annual event.
The Lagos City Marathon began in 2016 and has grown into one of Africa’s leading road races.
Over the years, athletes from Kenya and Ethiopia have dominated both the men’s and women’s races. Kering’s victory continues Kenya’s strong presence in the competition.
His winning time was faster than that recorded by his fellow Kenyan, Koech Edwin Kibet, who won the previous edition.
Kering improved on that performance by finishing more than two minutes quicker.
However, his time remains over ten minutes slower than the current world marathon record set by Kelvin Kiptum at the Chicago Marathon in 2023.
At 40 years old, Kering has now become the fourth Kenyan athlete in a row to win the Lagos race.
In the past seven editions, Kenyan runners have claimed six titles in the men’s category, showing their continued strength in long-distance running.
In the women’s category, Ethiopian athlete Meseret Dinke secured victory with a finishing time of 2 hours, 37 minutes and 36 seconds.
This marks her third win in Lagos, having previously claimed the title in 2019 and 2021. Ethiopian runners have remained unbeaten in the women’s race since 2018.
Among the Nigerian participants, Boyi Solomon Nyango was the first male athlete from the country to cross the finish line.
He completed the race in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 32 seconds.
In the women’s division, Deborah Pam Badung finished in 2 hours, 55 minutes and 46 seconds to emerge as the top Nigerian female runner at this year’s event.
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