Athletics
WITH SECOND FASTEST TIME IN HISTORY, KIPCHOGE WINS FOURTH LONDON MARATHON TITLE
BY MICHAEL PAVITT
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge clocked a course record time to clinch a record fourth victory in the men’s race at the Virgin Money London Marathon as compatriot Brigid Kosgei claimed the women’s title.
World record holder Kipchoge was the clear favourite heading into the 39th edition of the annual race, which forms part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series.
It had been billed as a potential head-to-head between Kipchoge and Britain’s Sir Mo Farah, the Chicago Marathon winner.
Farah, a four-time Olympic champion on the track, had been embroiled in a public war of words with distance running great Haile Gebrselassie in the build-up, following a claim he had been burgled at a hotel owned by the Ethiopian.
Attention finally turned to the action out on the road but Farah ultimately slipped out of contention shortly after the half-marathon distance as Kipchoge increased the pace.
The Kenyan took the leading group through the 25 kilometre split at 14 seconds shy of the pace he set for his world record time of 2hr 1min 39 sec at the Berlin Marathon in September.
Kipchoge was slowly able to shake off the attentions of Tola Shura Kitata, before another Ethiopian Mule Wasihun began to slip out of contention.
The Olympic champion removed his final challenger Mosinet Geremew, another Ethiopian, with a turn of speed in the closing stages of the 26.2 mile event.
Kipchoge continued to pull clear and crossed the line in a time of 2:02.37, the second fastest time in history.
It fulfilled his coach Patrick Sang’s pre-race prediction that the Kenyan would break his own course record of 2:03.05, which he set back in 2016.
He
is now the outright record winner of the men’s event at the London Marathon
with four triumphs.
Brigid Kosgei claimed a comfortable victory in the women’s race ©Getty Images
Geremew completed an impressive performance by finishing 18 seconds shy of the winner, with his time of 2:02.55 the third fastest ever.
The podium was rounded off by Wasihun in 2:03.16, while Kitata ended fourth in 2:05.01.
Farah had targeted a top three finish in front of a home crowd but he eventually ended fifth in a time of 2:05.39, over three minutes down on Kipchoge’s time.
While the pace of the men’s race proved fierce, the women’s event was a more conservative affair in the early stages.
The women’s elite field had been billed as the deepest in history, with four reigning major marathon champions taking part.
There was a surprise when Chicago Marathon winner Mary Keitany of Kenya was dropped from the leading group, ruling out her chance of a record-equalling fourth win.
Attention quickly turned to a battle between Kenyans Kosgei and defending champion Vivian Cheruiyot.
Kosgei broke the resistance of her compatriot in the closing stages of the race, which saw her build a comfortable advantage as the finish approached.
She triumphed in a time of 2:18.20 and finished 1:54 clear of second placed Cheruiyot.
The top three was completed by Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje, who clocked 2:20.51.
She was just one second clear of Boston Marathon champion Gladys Cherono of Kenya, while Keitany was a further six seconds down in fifth.
- INSIDE THE GAMES
The Future Olympian Athletics Classic has been rescheduled from the first quarter of 2026 to the last quarter of the year, as organisers move to transform the meet into a truly national developmental programme spanning Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
In a statement signed by Bruce Ijirigho, a former quarter-miler and Team Nigeria captain to the 1976 Summer Olympics, the postponement was described as a strategic decision aimed at broadening participation and ensuring that young talents across the country are discovered and nurtured systematically.
The competition is being organised by the Youth Sports Renaissance Foundation (YSRF), a non-profit organisation registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission by Ijirigho, Godwin Obasogie and Charlton Ehizuelen. The foundation’s primary objective is to revive athletics, particularly at the secondary school level, and rebuild Nigeria’s once-thriving grassroots sports culture.
Ijirigho, who serves as Project Lead, explained that the initiative is not about creating something entirely new but about restoring a proven system that once produced champions.
“This competition is not about reinventing the wheel,” he said. “It is about bringing back the culture that ensured that my contemporaries and I were discovered early in secondary school, received the right coaching and academic support, and went on to earn scholarships while combining sports with education. Many of us later became national, continental and global champions.”
He identified early exposure and modern, age-appropriate coaching as the missing links in youth development across Nigeria and much of Africa.
“The bane of sports in Nigeria and many African countries is that our youth don’t get opportunities early enough and lack modern coaching techniques that accelerate their development,” Ijirigho stated.
According to him, the Future Olympian Athletics Classic will go beyond competition by incorporating international coaching clinics designed to transfer contemporary skills and knowledge to Games masters and grassroots coaches nationwide.
“The Classic will not only discover talents in their early teens but also upgrade the capacity of our coaches. That way, we will nurture them properly to become Olympians and world beaters in their late teens and early twenties. This programme is strictly for high school students because it is developmental.”
The decision to expand the event to all six geopolitical zones, he noted, reflects a commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.
“Talents abound in every nook and cranny of the country. There are middle- and long-distance runners, sprinters, quarter-milers, jumpers and hurdlers who were either not discovered at all or discovered too late. With this postponement, we can widen the tent and give every Nigerian child a fair chance.”
Ijirigho expressed confidence that with proper planning and sustained grassroots investment, Nigeria can reclaim its place at the summit of global athletics.
“We have what it takes to dominate athletics worldwide. All we need is to get our development programme right. The Future Olympian Athletics Classic will lay that foundation for our youth and for the country when it begins in the last quarter of 2026.”
With its expanded national scope and emphasis on structured youth development, the initiative signals a renewed push to reposition Nigerian athletics for long-term global success.
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Kenya’s Ezra Kipchumba Kering delivered a commanding Valentine’s Day performance to win the 11th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon on Saturday.
Kipchumba surged to the finish line at Eko Atlantic City in an impressive time of 2:11:55, clinching the $50,000 winner’s prize in one of Africa’s most prestigious road races. His decisive kick in the closing stages sealed a memorable triumph in a fiercely contested men’s elite race.
Uganda completed a strong showing on the podium, with Lomoi Samuel finishing just four seconds behind the winner in 2:11:59, while compatriot Namutala Kephar Lumbasi secured third place in 2:12:25 to underline East Africa’s dominance in the men’s event.
The Gold Label marathon, organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited under the leadership of Managing Director Mrs Yetunde Olopade, once again lived up to its billing as a premier long-distance spectacle, attracting top-tier athletes from across the continent and beyond.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Dinke Meseret Meleka claimed top honours, crossing the line in 2:37:36 after a determined run. Kenya’s Daniel Flomena Cheyech followed closely in 2:37:43, while Ethiopia’s Getaw Wgagen Zewdalem finished third in 2:38:59 to complete a tightly fought podium finish.
With another thrilling chapter added to its history, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon reaffirmed its growing stature as a leading destination for elite runners and a major highlight on Africa’s athletics calendar.
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By Kunle Solaja.
The organisers of the gold-labelled Access Bank Lagos City Marathon have described Saturday’s 11th edition as an iconic milestone that ushers in a new decade for one of Africa’s most prestigious road races.
Speaking at a press conference held at the headquarters of Access Bank in Lagos, the Managing Director of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Mrs Yetunde Olopade, said the 2026 edition represents growth, resilience and renewed ambition for the marathon.
“This 11th edition is symbolic for us. It is not just another race; it signals the beginning of another decade of excellence, impact and global recognition for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon,” Olopade said.
She expressed appreciation to Access Bank, corporate sponsors and the Lagos State Government for their unwavering support and commitment to the annual event.
“We are deeply grateful to Access Bank, our valued sponsors and the Lagos State Government for their consistency and belief in this vision. Together, we have built one of the most revered road races in Africa, and this year’s event will be nothing short of world-class,” she added.
Olopade assured runners, partners and spectators of a top-quality race that would further consolidate the marathon’s international standing and enhance its global profile.
Also speaking at the event, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, commended the organisers for their professionalism and dedication, noting that the marathon has continued to elevate Lagos’ image globally.
“The Lagos State Government remains fully committed to supporting the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon because it continues to put Lagos on the global map in a positive light,” Fatodu said.
“This race is more than a sporting event; it is a celebration of our culture, resilience and capacity to host world-class events. We will continue to provide the enabling environment for it to thrive.”
Adding his voice, Dr Nadeem Khan, President of the International Association of Ultra Runners, described the marathon’s evolution over the years as remarkable.
“The progression I have seen at the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is truly phenomenal. Year after year, the race keeps improving in standards, organisation and global appeal,” Khan said.
The 2026 edition is expected to attract elite athletes from across the world, further reinforcing the marathon’s reputation as one of Africa’s leading road races and a flagship sporting event for Nigeria.
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