Abuja City Half Marathon: Kenya’s Kephar Namutala, Mercy Jepkemoi emerge 2025 champions

Kenya once again underlined its dominance in long-distance running on Saturday with a clean sweep of the men’s and women’s titles at the 2025 PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City Half Marathon.

Kephar Namutala led a Kenyan 1–2–3 finish in the men’s race, winning the event in 1:05:14:45 to claim the top prize of $8,000. Compatriot Edwin Kipyago placed second in 1:05:39:73, earning $6,000, while Ezekiel Chepkoromi finished third in 1:06:05:09 to take home $5,000.

Nigeria’s Adamu Shehu delivered the country’s best performance with a fourth-place finish in 1:08:25:49, earning a combined reward of ₦2 million and $4,000 for finishing among the overall top eight.

Another Nigerian, Auta Monday, clocked 1:09:45:96 to finish eighth overall and second in the Nigerian classification, receiving $500 and ₦1.5 million. Friday Elisha followed as Nigeria’s third-best performer in 1:10:30:52.

In the women’s race, Kenya’s Mercy Jepkemoi claimed the title in 1:14:53:23, while Nigeria celebrated a historic double podium finish. Shambor Blessing placed second in 1:16:28:69, with Akusho Lydia closely behind in 1:16:34:67.

Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, praised the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited, for sustaining high standards in road race organisation in Nigeria.

“It’s quite brilliant what we are seeing here and it clearly aligns with our vision at the Sports Commission. If we take this kind of events very seriously it can give Nigeria a comparative advantage in road racing in the near future,” he said.

Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, also expressed confidence that Nigeria will soon make significant strides in long-distance running, citing the quality of international competitions now hosted in the country.

“The feasibility that the organisers, Nilayo Sports, are giving to long distance in Nigeria is highly commended and Premium Trust Bank Abuja City Marathon is another success story that will be remembered for a long time,” he said.

The event, endorsed by the National Sports Commission and supported by PremiumTrust Bank, continues to position Abuja as a growing hub for elite road racing on the continent.