No fewer than 5,000 athletes across seven countries including Nigeria, Kenya and China converged in Ekiti on Saturday, to participate in the 2025 Ikogosi 17.5km Marathon Race.
The marathon hosted by the Ekiti State Government, is in collaboration with the Ikogosi Marathon Initiative, aimed at promoting fitness, attracting investments, boosting tourism and economic development and showcasing the state’s natural endowment.
The marathon race had Policemen and other security personnel were stationed at closed range from the starting point point to the finishing line in order to ensure maximum safety of the athletes.
The participants commenced the race around 8:02am at Ilawe Ekiti Roundabout in front of the Alawe Palace and ended at Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort.
Speaking with journalists, the winner of the tournament, Iliya Raymond Gyang, 19, from Plateau State, who finished the race at 8:55am appreciated the Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji for creating an enabling environment for youths to thrive in sports, saying he’s glad to see himself as a Winner.
Raymond, who is a multiple champion at different marathon races, said his dream is to represent Nigeria at the international level and win gold for the country.
The second position holder, James Francis, 19 from Plateau State, commended his coach for the encouragement, calling on the federal government to provide adequate facilities and equipment for athletes in the country in order to compete with their contemporaries such as Kenya, Jamaica, among others.
Also, the third position winner, Sadjo Ismael, 28 from Cross Rivers State expressed his delight for winning the third spot despite being a short-time runner.
The first female to finish the race, Blessing Solomon from Plateau State urged the state and federal government to help her career, while also encouraging her female gender to engage in sports in order to make ways for themselves.
The highlights of the event was the presentation of cash prize of ₦2,000,000 to first place, ₦1,500,000 to second place, ₦1,000,000 to third place.
Another was the cash prize to indigenous Winners which include: ₦1,500,000 (1st), ₦1,000,000 (2nd), ₦500,000 (3rd), ₦250,000 (4th), ₦100,000 (5th) and ₦50,000 each to 6th-10th positions.
Also speaking, the Consultant to the Ikogosi Marathon Initiative, Femi Abegunde expressed his delight at the large turn out of the participants compared to previous year.
Abegunde noted the purpose of the competition is to encourage youths and participants, boost the economy of the state,
His words, “The first thing we are doing with this initiative is to empower the local people in terms of commerce and also to empower the young people.
“We are very proud as organizers and I’m also sure that the state governments, which have given us the full support, are extremely very proud of what this has become.
“So for us as organizers, we understand that this is beyond just sports. It’s a lot of social enterprise, like I said. There’s a lot of huge community spirits and that explains why a lot of people came out to see runners who can participate”.
