2025 Lagos City Marathon: Kenya, Ethiopia Athletes Win Big

Kenyan athlete Edwin Koech triumphed in the men’s category of the 2025 Lagos City Marathon, which took place on Saturday in Lagos, Nigeria.

Koech earned a substantial $50,000 as the first-place prize for winning the 2025 Lagos City Marathon. This marked his second consecutive win at this prestigious marathon, having previously clinched the title in 2023. His remarkable finishing time of 2 hours and 14 minutes shattered records and demonstrated his exceptional endurance and talent.

In the women’s category, Ethiopia’s Guta Hirpa emerged as the champion, completing the race in an impressive time of 2 hours and 37.02 minutes. This win solidified her status as a formidable competitor, making her the third woman in the marathon’s history to win the event multiple times.

Among the local runners, Nyango Boyi made headlines by becoming the first Nigerian to cross the finish line, securing a spot in the top 10 with his 8th-place finish. Boyi clocked an impressive time of 2:25:41.58, earning him a prize of $4,000.

In addition to this accolade, he was awarded the top prize of 2 million naira for being the highest-placing Nigerian participant in the race.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also took part in the event, highlighting the marathon’s significance in promoting fitness and community spirit in the state.

The 2025 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon saw an impressive turnout, with approximately 37,000 runners participating in the 10km and 42km races. This figure was calculated based on the number of running kits distributed, out of over 60,000 registered participants, as stated by the General Manager of the race and retired Nigerian long jumper, Yusuf Ali.

The 42km race commenced at the National Stadium in Surulere at 6:30 am, followed by the 10km marathon which began at the Grace Garden Event Centre in Lekki at 9:30 am. Both races concluded at the iconic Eko Atlantic City.

Since its inception in 2016, the race has grown significantly and entered its 10th year with a coveted World Athletics gold label. Organizers have set their sights on achieving the prestigious platinum label, which would make this marathon the first in Africa to reach such a distinguished status.