How Ondo State’s Star Girl, Joy Abiye Won Lagos Women Run 2021

Ondo State long-distance runner, Joy Abiye David and Janet Dung emerged winners of the Open and Veteran categories of the sixth edition of Lagos Women Run.

In the Open category, Abiye Joy David cruised home to win the race at a time of 33 minutes 41:4 seconds grabbed the title of the 2021 Lagos Women Run.

Since the starting point at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere as early as 7 am, Abiye left no one in doubt of her readiness to win the race. She started as a champion. It was not a surprise to see her breaking away from the bunch three kilometres into the race and leading all through the remaining 7 kilometres on the flat surface route running from the mainland of Lagos to the Lagos Island. 

Abiye is not a newcomer in the race as was around last year where she placed third. This year she won the race and got a cash prize of N1 million for her efforts.

In second place was Edo State’s Mary Osagie who finished at 34 minutes 06:03 seconds. Osagie went home with a cash prize of N500,000, while Haruna Hawa of Plateau state placed third in the Open category of the Run when she finished at a time of 34 minutes 33:06 seconds. She went home with N300,000.

In the veteran category, Nigeria’s top athlete Janet Dung from Plateau state emerged champions at a time of 40 minutes 05:8 seconds. In second place was Comfort Ekanem from Ogun State at 43 minutes 44:9 seconds, while in third place was Ladi Henry from Plateau State at 45 minutes 40:6 seconds.

Over three thousand runners participated in the actual 10km race which started from the Iyun Road end of the Funsho Williams Avenue and ended at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, while another one thousand participated in the virtual race on the official Lagos Women Run internet App as the Covid-19 restrictions were observed.

The main entertainment of the 2021 Lagos Women Run took at the finish line, the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan where all the Over three thousand runners covered in front of the ceremonial platform, where the closing ceremony anchored by Muyiwa Osinaike and Uthman Okunnu, was filled with entertainment.

The Lagos Women Run 2021 got a huge boost with the active participation of the guests of honour in the closing ceremony. The wife of the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat and the first woman Managing Director of Shell Petroleum, Mrs Andoni Elohor. 

The duo at different times of their introduction danced with the multitude of runners at the main bowl of the Mobolaji Johnson Arena to the admiration of all the participants.

All the participants that crossed the finish line got medals and certificates of participation.