Athletics
Premium Trust Bank unveils Amusan, Brume as Ambassadors 
Premium Trust Bank Tuesday at the Fountasia Ball Room of the Eko Hotel and Suites unveiled two of Nigerians biggest athletes, world, Olympic and Commonwealth Games Champion Tobi Amusan and African and Commonwealth Games champions, Ese Brume as the bank’s Brand Ambassadors.
Tobi Amusan in 2022 won the World Championships and created a new World Record in the Women 100m hurdles. This was the first for any Nigerian in the history of sports, while Brume has been very consistent since winning a bronze medal at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo before adding medals at the World Indoors Championships and the Commonwealth Games.
Speaking at the unveiling, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, said the two athletes are symbol of the future of the country’s athletes.
He also called on corporate organisations and individuals not to wait until the athletes are crowned champions before giving them worthy support to develop them. The corporate world should invest in the athletes and they won’t regret this.
“These athletes never relented after getting the desired supports as they have been thriving in their performances,” the minister said.
He added: “Even at the big stage, the athletes knew they had it in them and they never stopped and when the time came, they showed up big time, they showed up for themselves first having done the sacrifices, gone through the discipline, because if you have talents and you don’t add discipline to it, you cannot excel.
“I want to thank Tobi for doing that job in Oregon, USA, where she broke and set two records in one night. I say thank you to Tobiloba Amusan on behalf of Nigeria, and I want to say, we are grateful.
“Brume on her own part, hard a great time at the Olympics in Tokyo, when Tobi finished fourth in her race, and the only person that could comfort her is Ese, not even her coach could do that, I am happy seeing the two of them here, happy to see what they have attained so far.
“Ese came third at the Olympics, but to us, it was a Golden Bronze, thank you because when you came to the Commonwealth Games, you did it again.”
Also speaking at the unveiling, the Mnsging Director /Chief Executive Officer, Premium Trust Bank, Emmanuel Efe Emefienim, said the major goal of the bank is to support growth hence the maxim ‘Together for Growth’.
According to Emefienim, Premium Trust Bank, decided to associate with the two renowned athletes to drive towards enabling growth they put into their story.
He added: “This should serve as motivation to other athletes who dare to be different and win no matter their background and obstacles they experienced as they continue in their journey towards a victorious destination.
“The story of the two athletes is similar to that of the bank. I can say today that, I am happy to see where Premium Trust Bank is today and we hope the partnerships brings great impact to the athletes, the sports industry and the country.”
The two athletes appreciated the bank for counting them worthy to be the Brand Ambassadors and promised to maintain the standard expected of them.
BY DAPO SOTUMINU
Nigeria’s Francis James and Blessing Shambaz yesterday emerged winners of the 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Race to go home with the winners prize money of $1,000 in a race that was officially flagged off by the First vice president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Chief Solomon Ogba, and supported by Mr. Nadin Khan, the president of the World Ultra Running.
James won the men’s race finishing at 30minutes 11seconds to beat all opponents to consolidate on his victory in Abuja when he finished second best in the half marathon held in the Federal Capital Territory middle of the year.
James also emerged the Nigeria’s winner of the World class half marathon.
It will be recalled that James at his last major race in Abuja finished second place in a national half marathon race. He stressed that he used that race to prepare for the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race and he was very happy winning the race.
He stressed that, the victory at Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10m Race has given him the confidence to do better in others races coming up in Nigeria and its an indication, that he’s very close to making history for Nigeria in subsequent marathon races. He added that, Nigerian runners will pull surprise in the others races not minding the attendance of the East Africans.
In second place for the men’s race is Gyang Raymond at a time of 30 minutes 14 seconds. Gyang got $750 for his effort. While the third place winner is Gyang David Boyi at 30 minutes 54 seconds. Boyi got a cash prize of $500.
In the women 10km race, the runners up that placed second was Daylop Patience at a time of 36minutes 98.28seconds to keep her position in last year’s edition. She got $750.
Third place winner is Agofure Charity at 37minutes 88 seconds.She got $500.
The overall 10km also saw the race by special athletes.
The route of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race wore a very active look this morning with the active presence of Febbs table water, a part sponsor of the event.
The volunteers on each points on the route all had Febbs Water on their hands ready to hand them over the runners. The organisers decorated all the runners that crossed the finish line with gold medals, this added to the fanfare and celebrations at the Alake Palace finish line of the race.
The Diamond League will increase its prize money to more than $9 million in 2025, the highest in the history of the series, the organisers have said.
Athletes will make a total of $18 million, with top athletes also receiving promotional fees. Male and female athletes will be paid at the same rate, the Diamond League said in a statement.
“The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024,” the statement said, adding that more will be invested in the athletes’ travel, transport, accommodation, medical and physio services.
Each of the 14 Diamond League meets of the 2025 regular season, scheduled to kick off in April, will award a total prize money of $500,000, with the final in August offering $2.24 million.
“The total prize money per discipline will be between $30,000 and $50,000 at the series meetings and between $60,000 and $100,000 at the final,” the statement added.
The Diamond League’s 2024 season concluded in Brussels last week, with Zurich set to host the 2025 final.
The news comes after World Athletics ended a 128-year tradition by paying Olympic champions at the Paris Games $50,000 each and as rival track events try to muscle in on the circuit long seen as the standard-bearer for professional athletics.
Retired American sprinting great Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track will offer prize money ranging from $100,000 for the winner to $10,000 for the eighth-place finisher at each of four “slams” when the league launches next year.
It will distribute a total of $12.6 million in prize money in 2025.
“In a league of our own,” Grand Slam Track wrote in a post on X, opens new tab on Wednesday, with a breakdown of their prize money.
-Reuters
A record 6,000 runners, local and international from across the African continent and Nigeria have registered for the second edition of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run slated for September 28, 2024, as the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited guns for a bronze label status for the race.
The Chief Operating Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Ebidowie Oweifie, noted that the theme of this year’s edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race titled ‘For Greatness’ out is out to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Egba paramount ruler, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, the 10km Run will flag off at Iyana Oloke at 6am and finish at The Alake Palace, Abeokuta.
Kenya’s Peter Nwaniki is the men’s race defending champion at a time of 28 minutes 14 seconds, while Shamila Kipsirir also of Kenya is the women’s defending champion.
Nigeria’s race men’s defending champion is Francis James at 31minutes 08seconds, while the women’s defending champion is Patience Daylop at 36 minutes 31 seconds.
The second edition of Abeokuta10km Race will be sponsored by Lotus Bank, FEBBS Premium Water, Fatgbems Petroleum Limited and Cash Token.
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