10th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon to attract over 30,000 runners—Organisers
By Olaolu Joseph
Organisers of the 10th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, scheduled for this Saturday, have announced that over 30,000 participants, including elite athletes, sports enthusiasts, and tourists, are expected to take part in the race.
General Manager of the marathon, Yusuf Ali, revealed at a press conference held at Access Bank Headquarters in Lagos on Friday that 37,000 participants had picked up their running bibs as of that day, confirming their readiness to participate.
“We need to be clear in terms of numbers. Sixty thousand people registered across all categories, and 37,000 have picked up their bibs. However, not all of them may run tomorrow,” Ali said.
He explained that the full marathon (42.5km) will start at 6:30 a.m. at the National Stadium in Surulere, while the 10km race will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Grace Garden Event Centre in Lekki. Both races will finish at Eko Atlantic.
Reflecting on the marathon’s progress since its inception in 2016, Ali emphasized that the organisers are striving to achieve the prestigious Platinum Label, the highest status for marathons globally.
Ali, Nigeria’s men’s long jump record holder, stated that the main goal is for one of the elite athletes to finish the race in under 2 hours and 10 minutes—a key criterion for earning Platinum status.
He noted that all other requirements for the label had been met, and the organisers are aiming to make the Lagos marathon the first in Africa to achieve the status.
“This year, we have a strong group of elite runners. There are seven gold medalists in the men’s category, two Platinum medalists, five gold medalists in the women’s category, and one Platinum runner. World Athletics has updated its ranking system, and runners must now be among the top 300,” Ali explained.
He added, “We are on track to qualify for Platinum status. Achieving this would make us the first African country to reach this milestone. For this 10th anniversary, we have the athletes who can deliver this result.”
Ali attributed the marathon’s continued success to the late MD/CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, who died alongside his wife and son in a helicopter crash during the 2024 event in the United States.
Nilayo Sports Management Limited Managing Director/CEO Mrs. Yetunde Olopade expressed optimism about attaining the Platinum Label.
“Our goal is clear, and achieving this would be a proud moment for Lagos State and Nigeria,” she said. “We’ve done all we can, and I am optimistic we’ll achieve it.”
Mrs. Olopade also thanked the sponsors, particularly the Lagos State Government and Access Bank, for a decade of partnership and support.
Access Bank representative Amaechi Okobi highlighted the marathon’s growth and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting the event. He called on more sponsors and partners to join the project to further promote its mission.
