Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Kenyans have won both the male and female categories of the maiden Onitsha City 21km Marathon held in Onitsha, Anambra state.
For the male category, Bernard Sang came first, Benson Nzyoki second while Moses Kipkosgei Bowen came third. The three athletes are from Kenya.
Sang won with 64:34sec.
Emmanuel Gergum and Fadekemi Olude from Plateau state came tops as male and female champions of Nigerian nationality in the race which started about 6:30 am.
William Amposah from Ghana finished overall fifth but was first West African to finish the race.
Augustine Nwafor was the first Nigerian from Onitsha to finish.
The 10 athletes who won went home with money prices. the 1st winner (N1million), 2nd (N750, 000), 3rd (N500,000), 4th (N300,000), 5th (N200,000), 6th (N100,000), 7th (N75,000), 8th (N50,000), 9th (N40,000) and 10th position (N20,000).
About 1000 athletes from different countries with 57 elites participated in the marathon.
The Onitsha City Marathon was sponsored by Onitsha Business School to create world class sporting facilities cut across Onitsha city to help promote, propagate and harness talents Onitsha and its environs.
Speaking after the race, organiser of the event and Director of Onitsha Business School Professor Olusegun Sogbesan rated the exercise high, noting that there was no causality recorded.
He said that they would improve on the mistakes of this year in the next edition, commending the athletes who participated especially those who came outside the shores of the Nigeria.