Lagos Marathon: Wheelchair runner appeals to organisers to increase cash prize

Sefiu Ojeleye, winner of the 2017 Wheelchair event of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon on Saturday appealed to the organisers to increase the prize money for the category.

Ojeleye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the finishing point of the marathon at Eko Atlantic City in Lagos that doing so would attract more wheelchair runners to the event.

“Participating in this event is not an easy task for wheelchair runners but we are happy to be part of the race again this year.

“The organisers have done so much to encourage physically challenged athletes but I believe they can still do more in the area of cash reward.

“We hope there will be an improvement in that area in the next edition,’’ he said.

Ojeleye, who finished second in the men’s category of the race, said he would intensify his effort to reclaim his title in 2019.

“I am not too happy that I finished in the second position but that is life because sometimes you lose and sometimes you win.

“The winner this year came from abroad but that is not be the reason why I lost to him, I will comeback better next year,’’ he said.

NAN reports that 40 wheelchair athletes participated in this year’s edition of the marathon.

The winner in the male and female event received cash prizes of N1 million naira each, while the second and third position winners got N750,000 and N500,000 in the men’s and women’s races respectively.