Kenyan athlete Harrison Wanjiru has won the Third ECOWAS-Abuja International Marathon, securing victory in the 21km race and earning a cash prize of $10,000.
The event, held on Saturday morning in Abuja, attracted top long-distance runners from across Africa and beyond.
In the 5km race, local athletes also excelled, with Sunday Dagyan and Vivian Obadiah from Plateau State emerging victorious in the male and female categories, respectively. Each winner received a cash prize of $1,000 in recognition of their outstanding performance.
The 2025 edition of the ECOWAS-Abuja International Marathon featured a strong field of 5,000 runners competing for a total prize pool of $71,000.
The top finishers in the half-marathon and fun run events were awarded $10,000 each, while second to fifth-place winners received $500, $400, $250, and $200, respectively. Runners who finished between fourth and tenth place also earned prize money.
All participants were presented with a special certificate of participation signed by the ECOWAS Commission President, while the first 200 runners to cross the finish line received bronze medals.
Race Director Gabriel Okon announced that defending champion Gabriel Sellasie of Ethiopia would return to defend his title. He noted that while Nigerian runners made up 60 per cent of the participants, the event also attracted competitors from the USA, Japan, Ethiopia, China, Kenya, Cameroon, Switzerland, Sierra Leone, and Ghana.
The Chairman of the Main Organising Committee and ECOWAS Director of Youth and Sports, Ambassador Francis Njoaguani, highlighted that the marathon was part of celebrations marking ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary. He emphasised the event’s role in promoting regional participation and nurturing local talent.
Njoaguani expressed hopes that within four years, the ECOWAS-Abuja International Marathon would achieve World Athletics Gold Label status, placing it among the world’s most prestigious road races.
The 21km race began and ended at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters, while the 5km race started at Independence Drive by Sahad Stores and CDB, concluding at the same venue.
