Sports
ECOWAS Marathon: Nigerians win 5km
Marathoners set to take off.Kenyans and Ethiopians dominated the half-marathon event of the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon on Saturday, while Nigerian runners claimed victory in the 5km race.
Kenya’s Harrison Muchira Wanjiru won the men’s half-marathon in 1 hour 04.39 minutes, followed by compatriot Adam Sulaiman Muhamad, who finished second in 1.05.27, while Nigeria’s Francis James Musa took third position in 1.05.51.
In the women’s category, Ethiopians ruled the race as Lydia Natiyaka Wamalawa crossed the finish line first in 1 hour 15.3 minutes. Her countrywoman, Aberash Minsewo, came second in 1.17.14, with Nigeria’s Patience Dalyop finishing third in 1.21.15.
Nigerian runners dominated the 5km race and claimed most of the prizes reserved for ECOWAS citizens.
Thousands of participants took to the streets of Abuja on Saturday as the 2025 ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon kicked off at the ECOWAS Commission Yakubu Gowon Way shortly after 8am, with the 5km race following soon after.
Elite runners in the 21-kilometre race competed for Africa’s most lucrative half-marathon prize of $10,000 for the top finisher, while top runners in the 5km race also aimed for substantial prize money.
Former presidential aspirant Omoyele Sowore, a familiar face at marathons and road races in Nigeria, America and other parts of the world, used the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon as another platform to spread his message of justice for humanity.
Sowore ran alongside members of the #Run with Sowore Group and his Lazy Man Athletics Club.
For many participants like Blessing Mozie, running has become a lifestyle choice. As a staff member of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, Mozie participated because running is integral to her life.
Having previously completed several full marathons in the Lagos City Marathon, Mozie opted for the 5km race in Abuja as she was unfamiliar with the capital’s routes.
“I was born in Lagos, I grew up there, so I am familiar with the route, but I am not too familiar with the Abuja routes. Maybe in future, I will run the half marathon and the full marathon in Abuja,” she said.
“I think running is something everybody should do because of its immense health benefits.”
“For me, running is not a fashion statement but a way of life because it is good for the body generally, and I am encouraging everybody to embrace the culture of running; the benefits are immeasurable,” Mozie added.
An estimated 5,000 Nigerian and international runners competed for the $71,000 prize money on Saturday, with men’s and women’s winners of the 21km half-marathon each receiving $10,000.
The first 200 runners to cross the finish line received bronze medals for their participation.
The Chairman of the Main Organising Committee and ECOWAS Director of Youth and Sports, Amb. Francis Njoaguani, said the event was part of activities marking ECOWAS at 50.
Njoaguani stated that the initiative aims to encourage regional participation and celebrate homegrown talent.
He noted that the goal is to achieve World Athletics Gold Label status within the next four years, positioning the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon among the most prestigious road races globally.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
-
Featured4 days agoWASSCE: RSG Distributes Science Materials To Secondary Schools
-
News4 days ago
Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Lives More Important Than Foreign Investment – Oshiomhole
-
Rivers4 days ago
MBA Forex Trial Adjourn To June 3, Amid Bereavement … As Court Declines Cost Application
-
News4 days ago
ActionAid Demands Probe Of Govs Using Public Funds For Campaign
-
Aviation4 days ago
Passengers Stranded As Delta Airline From Atlanta Route Back Eight Hours After
-
Business4 days ago
Customs Impound N2.35bn Cocaine, 15 Trailers of Rice
-
Politics4 days ago
2027: Bayelsa Senator Gets Critical Endorsement For Second Term
-
Politics4 days agoINEC Sets Rivers South-East Senatorial By-Election For June 20