Lagos City Marathon: Kenyan debutant wins female category

Kenya’s Sharon Cherop took Nigeria by storm as she won the 42km race at the 2020 Lagos City Marathon in her first time in Nigeria.

The Lagos City Marathon debutant showed no fear for the new race as she finished the in 02:31:40secs

Cherop told journalists after her race that she was determined to defeat Ethiopians, who were previous champions of the marathon.

Cherop Jemutai said, “This is my first time here (in Nigeria). In the last 500m, I shouted, maybe the Ethiopian even heard me; I said number two is not my portion.”

Her compatriot, David Barmasai, earlier emerged winner of the male category of the marathon.

The 42km race commenced from National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos and ended at Eko Atlantic, Lagos.

Both male and female 42km runners got the grand prize of $50,000 while the second and third place winners $40,000 and $30,000 respectively.

In the 2019 edition of the marathon, East Africans dominated the Lagos City Marathon carting away the star prizes in the male and female categories of $50,000 each.

An Ethiopian, Sintatehu Legese, won the star prize of $50, 000 in the male category, finishing the race in two hours, 17 minutes and 28 seconds.

Legese had defeated the defending champion, Joshua Kiprotich, from Kenya, who breasted the tape in two hours, 18 minutes and 16 seconds to emerge the first runner up with a prize money of $40,000.

Then, Kiprotich’s compatriot, William Yegon, came third in the time of 2 hours, 19 minutes and four seconds, winning $30,000.

In the female category of 2019 edition, it was a clean sweep for Ethiopia as the trio of Meseret Dinke, Alemenesh Guta and Kebena Chala finished first, second and third to win $50,000, $40,000 and $30,000 respectively.

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