Gang, veteran runner, Abiye, emerge champions of maiden 10km Capital City Race in Lagos

Posted : 24 November 2024

In a glamorous event, Plateau State-born James Gang, with a time of 30:15 minutes, won the maiden 10km Capital City Race in the male category on Saturday, while veteran runner Abiye David, the winner of the 2024 Lagos Women Run, once again showcased her prowess, clinching the female category with a time of 35:15 minutes.

It was a field day for Plateau State runners as they once again dominated the podium of the 10km Capital City Race in Lagos.

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The first, second, and third positions in the male category were won by Plateau-born runners, while in the female category, they secured the second and third positions.

James Gang claimed first place in the male category with a time of 30:15 minutes, followed by his compatriot Ismael Sadjo, who clocked 32 minutes. Emmanuel Dung finished third with a time of 32:15 minutes.

In the female category, veteran runner Abiye David, a three-time winner of the Lagos Women Run, emerged victorious again with a time of 35:15 minutes. Plateau State-born Yilmunen Nicholas finished second with a time of 37:47 minutes, while Grace Goar took third place with a time of 39:02 minutes.

An elated Director-General (D-G) of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), speaking on the sidelines of the race, stated that the success of the event was a testament to the government's inclusive efforts to encourage private participation in sports development.

“This is super great, and this is one of the things we have been advocating for — engaging our society in sporting activities.

“This is the first of its kind in Lagos, and I strongly believe that many communities and states will want to adopt what we are doing to promote healthy living, fitness, and an active lifestyle.

“Very soon, we will have the Ajegunle Marathon, Mushin, Ikorodu, and others that we will use to galvanize and promote healthy living and active lifestyles.

“I boldly say that Lagos State is leading the way in this kind of initiative,” he said.

The convener of the Capital City Race, Dapo Ajayi, expressed his gratitude for the warm reception from Lagosians.

“We are truly humbled by the turnout. Like any dream where success is uncertain, we stepped out in faith, and we are grateful for the acceptance we received.

“We had calls from all over Nigeria. The love has been enormous, and we are deeply grateful to the Lagos State government, the LSSC, and Lagosians in general.

“Having professional runners participate was humbling. From the outset, we didn’t expect such a large turnout of professionals.

“The fun runners were also thrilled to run alongside the professionals, and that is inspiring,” he said.

The winner of the male category, James Gang, shared that it had always been his dream to win a marathon.

“I have always wanted to be a runner and to win. I trained well for this, but before now, I had participated in about three marathons.

“I want to continue pursuing my ambition of becoming a professional athlete in the future,” he said.

Similarly, Abiye David, the winner of the female category, stated her determination to achieve fulfillment as an athlete.

“I will continue putting in my best efforts and participating in marathons until I am satisfied with myself.

“Running in marathons like this has become part of me, and I enjoy it,” she said.

The 10km race started at 7 a.m. at the Ikeja City Mall and ended at the Arch Bishop Vining Memorial Church Playground, Oba Akinjobi Way, Ikeja.

The first-place winners took home ₦500,000, the second-place winners received ₦300,000, and the third-place winners got ₦200,000 in both male and female categories, alongside other consolation prizes.

Gang, veteran runner, Abiye, emerge champions of maiden 10km Capital City Race in Lagos

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