Nigerians bid to overthrow Kenyans when it comes to marathon races failed to materialise as yet again the East Africans dominated the hotly contested e maiden Premium Trust Bank Abuja International Half Marathon yesterday in Abuja.
Kenya’s Shadrack Ngumbau had clocked 1.07.58s to win the race in the male category with Nigeria’s Francis James coming second in 1.08.02s.
Behind him in the third position was Ratcn Kenneta of Kenya in 1.08.55s and another Nigerian Gyang Emmanuel clocked fourth in 1.10.52s and Cameroon’s Adamu Shehu posted 1.11.08s to occupy the fifth position.
James after the race ended at Ols Parade Ground said with proper exposure, the Kenyans are beatable in the marathon.
“The Kenyans are not invisible, they are beatable in the marathon that they’ve been known globally. With proper exposure, we are determined to give them (Kenyans) good run,” he said.
In the women’s international class, Nigeria’s Patience Daylop and Vilmuner Nicholas posted 1.24.51s and 1.29.11s respectively, to settle in the fourth and fifth positions behind Gaspore Atalona of South Sudan; Toofrida Lodefe of Kenya and Rotto Nancy Jebet from Kenya respectively.
On the whole, 15 foreign elites and 42 Nigerian elites were among the over 2600 marathoners that featured in the Premium Trust Bank Abuja International Half Marathon.
