Nigeria’s Gang James finished second at the PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon on Saturday, crossing the line just two seconds behind Ethiopia’s Gemechu Tolosa in a tightly contested men’s race, Bold Sports reports.
James clocked 1:01:58 at the third edition of the event, with Tolosa taking victory in 1:01:56. Kenya’s Lampard Kingoo completed the podium in 1:01:59, leaving only three seconds between the first three finishers.
The Nigerian’s performance earned the $6,000 runners-up prize, while the winner received $8,000. Kingoo’s third-place finish carried a $5,000 award under the race’s published elite prize structure.
Kenya’s Enos Kipruto placed fourth in 1:02:06, ahead of Uganda’s Julius Ochieng, who completed the top five in 1:02:27. James was therefore the leading Nigerian in the men’s overall results, finishing ahead of the Kenyan and Ugandan runners immediately behind him.
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His margin over Kingoo was just one second, underlining how little separated second and third at the finish. Kipruto followed eight seconds behind James, while Ochieng finished a further 21 seconds back.
The result gave Nigeria a place on the overall podium at a race featuring athletes from across the continent. It also brought James within touching distance of the title on a day when an Ethiopian runner claimed the top award.
The race began opposite the Federal Fire Service on Mohammed Buhari Way and finished at the velodrome of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium. More than 5,000 runners participated in the event, which combined elite competition with wider public participation.
Nilayo Sports Management organised the race, with PremiumTrust Bank as title sponsor. The organiser identifies the Abuja half marathon as a platform for international road racing in the capital, following its inaugural edition in April 2024.
James also has an established record on the track. His World Athletics profile lists personal bests of 14:01.62 over 5,000 metres and 3:52.25 over 1,500 metres, both achieved in Uyo in June 2026.
The same profile records a 30:51 road 10-kilometre performance in Lagos and a 30:54.50 track 10,000-metre mark in Abeokuta. Saturday’s podium added a prominent half-marathon result to those performances across shorter distances.
The event’s elite awards extended beyond the podium, with $4,000 for fourth and $3,000 for fifth. James’ second-place finish secured one of the leading prizes and provided the standout Nigerian result among the reported top five men in Abuja.
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