By Patrick Omorodion
Tragedy was averted yesterday after a Lagos State cyclist, Kazeem Lawanson was knocked down by a taxi cab during the Odu’a Cycling Championship held in Ibadan.

Lawanson was hut by the taxi which beat the traffic cordon at the Oyo Road Bodija Estate junction and his bicycle crampled.

The cyclist was rushed to the medical team of the competition by Chief Alfred Ade, chairman of the Nigerian Commissares Association, who handed over the drive to the police.

Meanwhile, Oyo state cleared the top prizes after initially refusing to take part, on the assumption that there was no prize money.

Their cyclists, Quadri Ajibade, Dirk Israel and Adeyemi Odunayo placed first, second and third respectively, to pocket N30, 000, N20, 000 and N10, 000 each.