Abraham Kiptom of Kenya has emerged as the champion of the first Access Bank Lagos City Marathon which took place in the Centre of Excellence on Saturday.

Kiptom finished ahead of all his contemporaries as he posted a time of 2 hours, 16 minutes, 21 seconds (2:16:21) to emerge as the maiden champion of the Lagos Marathon.

His compatriot, Kipkemboi Hosea came in second place with a time of 2:16:34secs.

While Nigeria’s Emmanuel Gyang who hails from Plateau State Started out started out quite brightly and was rubbing shoulders with the Kenyas and Ethiopians, he fizzled out when it mattered most as it was Philip Sharubutu who finished as the top Nigerian in the 42km. race.

For his effort, Sharubutu has won a N1m prize money for himself.

In the female version, Halima Huseen Kayo of Ethiopia emerged winner and she is going home with $50,000..

Over 10,000 athletes featured in the February 6 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon which is the first of its kind in over three decades.

About  N92 million was won at Saturday’s race which saw athletes take off from the Old Lagos (National Stadium Surulere) to New Lagos (Eko Atlantic City), a distance of 42.195 kilometres.

In his remarks, Lagos Sate Governor Akinwumi Ambode said he was impressed with the show in the first edition of the Lagos City marathon and added that the race will be bigger next year.

Aside Gov. Ambode, other dignitaries at the finishing line include Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, a Cameroon national, current President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA).