Ikogosi Marathon: Plateau runners sweep elite race as organisers eye 2027 global event
- Plateau athletes took the top three places in the elite male race at the 17.5km Ikogosi Marathon in Ekiti.
- Organisers say 10 Ekiti athletes discovered at the race will be supported and sponsored to international competitions.
- The initiative hopes to upgrade the 2027 edition into a full international marathon.
Athletes from Plateau State dominated the elite category of the 2026 Ikogosi Marathon, a 17.5km race that started at Ilawe Ekiti and finished at the Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort on Saturday.
The sources disagree on who won the elite male race. Punch named Gyang James as winner, with his brother Francis James second and Rochas Sunday third, finishing in 57, 58 and 59 minutes respectively. A later ThisDay report named Iliya Raymond Gyang as winner in 57 minutes 33 seconds, with Francis James second in 57 minutes 44 seconds and Sadjo Ismael third in 59 minutes 16 seconds.
The sources also differ on the elite female winners. Punch named Teyei Davou first, Tanko Nvou second and Vivian Obadiah third. The later ThisDay report named Blessing Shamboa as winner in 68 minutes, with Akusho Lydia Thomas second in 70 minutes 12 seconds and Nvou Gyang Tanko third in 71 minutes 15 seconds.
In the Ekiti indigenous categories, both outlets agree that Adeyemi Tunde won the men's race, with Abiodun Adetiba second and Sunday Emmanuel third. Arinde Miracle won the women's race, followed by Bako Gift and Ademisoye Adesewa.
Prize money and a push for corporate support
The convener of the Ikogosi Marathon Initiative, Makinde Araoye, said the fourth edition drew about 14,000 registrations, including runners from Kenya and Ethiopia and athletes from 28 states. A later ThisDay report put the figure at 13,722.
Punch reported that Gyang James earned ₦2.5m for first place, Francis James ₦2m and Rochas Sunday ₦1m. The later ThisDay report gave the elite prizes as ₦2.5m, ₦1.5m and ₦1m, so the second-place figure is disputed between the outlets. Indigenous winners also received cash prizes, with Punch putting the men's top prize at ₦2m.
Araoye said the initiative had identified 10 indigenous athletes from Ekiti to nurture, giving them financial rewards and sponsoring them to international competitions.
"Apart from the prizes they will receive, we also intend to sponsor them to participate in international athletics competitions," he said.
He called on companies operating in Ekiti to back the race, saying it had been largely self-funded since it began in 2014.
Sunday Asefon, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, urged the state government and other stakeholders to invest in the athletes discovered at the race.
Dignitaries at the event included former Ekiti Governor Segun Oni, former presidential aide Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Adeoye Aribasoye and Dr Abisoye Fagade of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism.
What happens next
Araoye said the organisers hope to upgrade the 2027 edition into a full international marathon, which could bring more foreign runners and more exposure for Nigerian long-distance athletes. For now, the immediate task is finding the money and backing to keep the 10 identified athletes training and competing abroad.
