Tag Archives: Hayla Bazu Worku

Athletics

Edwin Koech wins Lagos City Marathon

Kenya’s Edwin Kibet Koech took the top honors of the 8th edition of the Lagos City Marathon held on Saturday (04) in Lagos, Niogeria.

The 39 year-old beat a strong field that included the defending champion and race course record holder, David Barmasai and Ethiopia’s Hayla Bazu Worku who came to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:05.25 that he got at the 2010 Berlin Marathon, where he won the bronze medal.

Barmasai who was on his way to defend his title found the weather patterns on him as the heat took toll of him forcing him to quit halfway with Koech taking the advantage to surge ahead and cut the tape in a time of 2:14.06 .

Ethiopi’a Dekeba Shefa and Kenya’s Bernard Sang came home in second and third place respectively.

In the women category, Alemenseh Guta took the honors and was followed in second place by Kebene Urisa with Naomi Maiyo from Kenya in third place.

The winners of both the men and women’s races qualified for marathon event at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Koech and Guta earned a cool $50,000 as prize money.

Athletics

David Barmasai to battle Bazu Worku at Lagos Marathon

Kenya’s David Barmasai will lead a strong deep elite field at the 8th edition of the Lagos City Marathon, is a silver label marathon that will held on Saturday (04) Lagos, Nigeria.

The 34 year-old comes to this race with the second fastest time of 2:07.18 that he got at the 2011 Dubai Marathon, where he took the honors.

Barmasai who represented Kenya at the World Championships Marathon in Daegu but managed to finish in a disappointing fifth place was once managed by Jos Hermens who is the manager of the world fastest marathoner Eliud Kipchoge.

Barmasai who will not be knew on the course, having won the 2020 edition with a 2:10.23 and was placed second last year, will not have an easy time as he will face-off with Ethiopia’s Hayla Bazu Worku who comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:05.25 that he got at the 2010 Berlin Marathon, where he won the bronze medal. The 32 year-old who has participated in six world-class marathons and finishing under the two hours nine minutes.

The two will have to get past the oldest athlete on the start list, John Komen, 42, from Kenya who also comes to this race with vast road experience and a life time best of 2:07.13 that he got at the 2011 La Rochelle Marathon.

The three athletes have been assembled together by the race organisers to try and chase Barmasai’s course record of 2:10.23 that he set in 2020.

The race Chief Executive Officer of Nilayo Sports Management, Bukola Olopade, said he is hopeful that the invited foreign runners would give good account of themselves by recording good results that will boost their aim of securing the Platinum Label status soon.

He also appealed to Lagosians to see the race as their own, adding that the Lagos City Marathon had put Nigeria on the world map.
“Considering the good weather we have at the moment, I am sure some of the foreign runners will achieve good results by finishing below two hours nine minutes. That will be a big boost to the Lagos City Marathon, and for residents in Lagos, we will continue to appeal to them to see this event as their own.”