By Fola Jmaes
Access Bank Plc dusted initial suggestion that the yearly Lagos Marathon would be cancelled due to the COVID 19 headwinds that affected operations of commercial banks in the country. If the bank was able to press ahead with the 2021 event, some watchers of the event say, the $30 000 grand price could be tinkered with.
But few hours ago, the Herbert Wigwe led bank proved critics wrong after winners emerged in the long race and their cash prizes handed over to them in a grand style. The race which started early on Saturday from the National Stadium, Lagos ended at the Eko Atlantic City with Emmanuel Naibei and Meseret Dinke emerging winners of the 6th edition and their taking away cash prizes of $30,000 each.
According to the organizers of the event Kenyan, Naibei, returned a time of 2:11:37 to claim the top prize of $30,000 while Ethiopian, Dinke won the female category with a $30,000 cash prize to keep.
The race which started in the early hours of Saturday from the National Stadium, Surulere, ended at the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, a 42-kilometer stretch with Daresa Geleta of Ethiopia claiming second place in the men category while his country man  Demiso Legese came third.
Records from the organizers also showed that Chepchirchir from Kenya came second in the women category taking home a cash prize of $20,000 while another Ethiopian, Desta Muluneh claimed a cash prize of $15,000 after emerging third in the star studded race.
This year’s event was flagged off by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare and unlike previous events where over 100,000 participated, only 300 athletes were participated in the this year’s edition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
