Ismael Sadjo, from Cross River State, has emerged as the winner of the Bigi Abeokuta 10km marathon which was held in the ancient city on Saturday, November 13th, 2021.
Sadjo finished at 31:03:81 and went home with the grand prize of $2,000.
The race started from Oba Alake’s palace and the finishing line at the M.K.O Abiola International Stadium.
Speaking on his victory, Sadjo applauded Bigi for making his victory a refreshing one. “Bigi water is the best drinking water,” he said.
Sadjo further revealed that the refreshing nature of the water helped stabilised his heartbeat during the race and gave him more energy to finish strong.
Read Also: Bigi powers Abeokuta 10km Marathon
Bigi, a Nigerian brand is the headline sponsor of the Abeokuta 10km marathon tagged Naija, Race for Homeland, specifically for Nigerians within the country and diaspora and organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited (NSML).
Boluwatife Adedugbe, Brand Manager, Beverage and Bakery, Rite Foods Limited, said her company wants to ensure that every consumer out there gets a feel of the fantastically refreshing array of brands in its portfolio, thereby allowing consumers to associate with the brand and find a flavor that resonates with their personality in any occasion.
“When you have a proudly Nigerian company supporting a ‘Naija, Race for Homeland’ sporting event, it means that there is an alignment between the company and its vision for sports development in the country. This is the reason why the brand is consistently and consciously supporting youths through sporting events such as the Bigi Abeokuta 10km road race.”
On the company’s commitment to the growth of sports in the state, Dr. Kehinde Oluwadare, commissioner for Youths and Sports, praised Rite Foods for its weight behind the sporting event, which he said is another golden opportunity for Nigerian youths to earn global recognition.
Oluwadare expressed Governor Dapo Abiodun’s appreciation to Rite Foods for creating a platform of social value that would build talents, engage the youths and spur them to greatness.
Stephen Joseph from Plateau State emerged second with a finishing time of 31:47:82, winning $1,500. Emmanuel Gyang emerged third at a time of 32:15:00 and won the sum of $1,000.
In the female category, Rose Akusho came first at the arrival time of 36:33:30, followed by Vera Yohanna , of 37:10:17 while Patience Dalyop emerged third at the arrival of 37:4:02.
Interestingly, all the winners in the female category are from Plateau State.