January 28, (THEWILL) – The 8th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is set to take place on Saturday, February 4th, with the aim of attaining the prestigious Platinum Label status from World Athletics high on the minds of the organisers.
This year’s marathon is already a Gold-Label race, making it the first in Africa and the 25th in the world to attain this level. The marathon has made significant strides in recent years, winning the World Athletics Bronze Label in 2017, the Silver Label in 2019, and the World Athletics Elite Running Label in 2021.
The Platinum Label was introduced by World Athletics in 2018 and is considered the highest level of recognition for marathon races. Race organisers must apply for recognition and meet a number of set criteria, with Gold Labels having the strictest requirements. According to the General Manager of the race, Yusuf Alli, the Lagos City Marathon’s goal of attaining the Platinum Label status will be aided by two of the male runners finishing the full marathon race in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, and three female athletes finishing under 2 hours 12 minutes.
The Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is organised by Nilayo Sports Management Ltd, and this year’s edition will feature 76 first-class foreign runners from across the globe. According to the CEO, Bukola Olopade, the start time for the marathon has been moved forward by 30 minutes to avoid the dark conditions witnessed at last year’s edition.
Olopade also announced that from next year’s edition, runners will be required to pay registration fees to compete in the marathon, with the amount to be determined after this year’s edition.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
