Governor Ambode presents the $50,000 prize cheque to the overall winner of the 2016 edition
The top Nigerian finishers at the 2017 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, Iliya Pam and Olude Fadekemi have both promised to do all within their reach to retain their number one positions in Saturday’s 2018 race.
While Pam has been training hard for the 2018 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon in Jos, Olude is in the national camp in Port Harcourt, where she is simultaneously preparing for the Commonwealth Games and the Lagos Marathon.
Pam, who finished ahead of all his compatriots with a time of two hours 23 minutes, but ended in 17th position overall, said he would raise the bar at the forthcoming event.
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“I have been training hard for a long time and I am very happy with my shape, my goal for this year’s marathon is not just to finish as the number one Nigerian but to at least make it into the Top 10 overall,” Pam declared.
“I know it will be tougher this year but I am ready for the challenge as I look forward to running a good time to qualify for the Commonwealth Games,” Pam added.
On her part, Olude, who shocked many to emerge as Nigeria’s first female runner with a time of two hours 16 minutes, said the increased prize monies is extra motivation for her not only to repeat what she did last year but even do much more.
“The N1 million I won last year was quite helpful for me, now that it is N3 million, I have been training even harder,” she said.
She predicts that this edition of the competition would be tougher compared to last year’s race, as many people, who did not reckon with her now know what she can do.
“Of course, I expect the likes of Olamide, Deborah Pam to give me a tough fight but I know it will bring out the best in me,” she said.
Source: G Sport
