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Tag: Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

  • Kenyan wins 9th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

    Kenyan wins 9th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

    Kenya’s Bernard Sang on Saturday won the 2024 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon with the time of 2:16:49.

    Sang led compatriots, Silas Cheprot, with the time of 2:16:54; and Godffrey Birger, with the time of 2:17:43; who won the second and third place respectively.

    It was an all-Kenyan affair once again in the men’s category of the race, where they finished first, second and third respectively.

    In the women’s category, Chala Kebene from Ethiopia, came first with a time of 2:41:01.

    Kenya’s Ruth Aga returned with the time of 2:41:41 to place second, and Sharon Cherop, from Ethiopia, came third in the time of 2:42:00.

    Kenya’s Bernard Sang, who came third at the 2023 Lagos City Marathon (8th Edition) improved on his timing to dust 3,000 other runners to win the 2024 race.

    Sang said he had to work harder to win the race having practiced for six months.

    “I practiced hard to win this race because I needed to be faster, though I was unable to beat my personal best because Lagos is hotter,” he said

    Sang also came first at the 42nd Istanbul Marathon, the world’s only intercontinental footrace, in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 49 seconds – short of five minutes in the Lagos race.

    Sang, who also pocketed the grand prize of 50,000 dollars, expressed his desire to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

    The second and third winners in the men’s category also went home with 40,000 dollars and 30,000 dollars respectively.

    The 42km race, which began at the National Stadium in Surulere at 6.00 a.m., ended at the Eko Atlantic City in Victoria Island.

    The Gold Label marathon, an annual event which was recently upgraded by the World Athletics, aims to be the best marathon in Africa to upgrade to Platinum by its 10th anniversary.

  • Lagos govt. announces traffic diversion for Access Bank marathon

    Lagos govt. announces traffic diversion for Access Bank marathon

    The Lagos State Government has issued a traffic advisory ahead of the yearly Access Bank Lagos City Marathon coming up on Saturday between 5.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m.

    The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said this in a statement on Friday in Lagos.

    Osiyemi said the following routes would be temporarily unavailable to motorists during the marathon.

    He listed the routes as Funsho Williams Avenue from Stadium, Surulere, Ikorodu Road to Anthony, Gbagada to Third Mainland Bridge.

    “Others are: Third Mainland Bridge (inbound and outbound), Dolphin Road to Alfred Rewane Road, Falomo roundabout to Bourdillon Road, Lekki Bridge to Freedom Way, Akin-Adesola to Ahmadu BelloWay,” he said.

    He said the alternative routes available during the marathon are: Apongbon bridge inwards Eko bridge through Costain Roundabout, Iponri and Bode Thomas for a desired destination or utilise Eko Bridge through Costain Roundabout and Apapa Road to link Oyingbo/Jebba to access Herbert Macaulay for a desired destination.

    “Motorists can equally go through Victoria Island to link Independence Bridge and CMS bridge to access Apongbon inwards Ijora-Olopa to Iddo and Oyingbo to connect Herbert Macaulay Road to continue their journeys.

    “For motorists trying to navigate the Third Mainland Bridge; the bridge will not be available to motorists from 12.00 tonight till the end of the marathon,” he said.

    Osiyemi further hinted that all outbound journeys from Ikorodu Road, Funsho Williams Avenue enroute Lagos Island would be exempted from the diversion.

    He added that officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority would be deployed to the diversion points for seamless traffic flow and safety of motorists.

    Osiyemi, however, advised motorists who had no serious business along the marathon diversion routes to avoid the areas.

    He added that movement on the 3rd Mainland would return to status-quo immediately after the marathon.

  • 2024 Access Bank Lagos marathon gears up

    2024 Access Bank Lagos marathon gears up

    Scores of intending marathoners on Wednesday converged on Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, to register for the 2024 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

    The Access Bank Lagos City Marathon village at the stadium was a beehive of activities as many marathoners were on hand to register for the event.

    Reports also say that different brands have taken stands within the Volleyball Court at the marathon village.

    The brands on site include Access Bank (the major sponsor), 7up Bottling Company, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, Kenya Airways, Rio Cars, among others.

    Over 5,000 intending runners were said to have registered for the marathon within the first day of its activation.

    Seyi Johnson, Project Manager, Nilayo Sports Management Company, owners of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, said that the organisers expected a bigger and better race in 2024.

    “This year has been remarkable so far in terms of turnout, normally, we do expect a surge in registration on the third day, but the 2024 edition has been different.

    “The turnout on the first day is highly impressive and we are grateful to Lagosians, the Lagos State government and all our sponsors who are part of this success story.

    “This is the 9th edition and it is going to be a great year because as a brand, we strive to give our very best. So, Lagos should expect the best marathon so far,” he said.

    One of the co-sponsors, 7up, through its supervisor, Mr Ayodeji Moses, from Rescue Promotion, said the turnout of intending marathoners was remarkable.

    “The turnout here has been massive, we didn’t expect such crowd on the first two days, but this year has been different.

    “In the past years that I have been coming, people normally started showing up after few days of activation, but with what I have seen so far, it is a different thing this year.

    “Many, after registration for the race, come to get a free drink from our stands.

    “We should expect more runners this year,” he said.

    One of the intending runners, Folasade Tunwase, said that she was ecstatic to participate in the marathon for the fourth time.

    “This year will be my fourth year of participating. I sort out my schedule ahead to accommodate the marathon.

    “I am yet to win the tournament or come close, but in years to come, I hope to train well, maybe I can win the 10km race,” she said.

    Access Bank Lagos State City Marathon has achieved remarkable feats since inception.

    In 2015, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon clinched the World Athletics Bronze Label in its second edition, becoming the third marathon in the world to accomplish this within that time.

    Two years after, the Marathon was awarded the Silver Label, becoming the first ever marathon to attain this after only four editions.

    Continuing with the trend of firsts, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon recently earned the World Athletics Gold Label, officially becoming the first full marathon in Africa to achieve this historic feat.

    The World Athletics Gold Label is awarded to races that satisfy the international body’s requirements in terms of quality of organisation and management and a host of other criteria.

    With its Gold Label Status, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon joins other races like the Osaka Marathon, the Tokyo Marathon, Zurich Marato Barcelona, the Hannover Marathon, the Enschede Marathon, the Vienna City Marathon and the Belfast City Marathon on the World Athletics table of Label races for 2024.

  • Over 2000 international Elite athletes register for Gold-Label Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

    Over 2000 international Elite athletes register for Gold-Label Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

    Over two thousand international Elite athletes from across the world have registered for the Gold-Label Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, setting a record of entries for any Marathon race on the continent of Africa.

    The General Manager of the race, Yussuf Alli, said at the weekend that: “The Elite entries would have been more, if the organisers had not regulated it to a barest size over a week ago. Towards effective and efficient management of the race. The large size was expected at it’s one of the effects of a Gold-Label race. And Nilayo Sports Management is ready for it.”

    Yussuf, revealed that, majority of the Elite athletes are from Europe, East Africa, North Africa, West Africa, Asia and South America.

    “And out of the pool of registered international Elite athletes, the organisers have officially invited 47 male and 29 female world class athletes that will lead the bunch of first class athletes in the race. While the rest will compete to chase the Gold-Label status as they continue in their quest to garner requisite internatiinal points to attain firstclass Elite status as they grow professionally.”

    He noted that; “The Lagos City Marathon’s quest to attain to the Platinum Label race status, which is uppermost in the desires of the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Ltd, will be boosted if two male Elite athletes can finish the race under 2 hours 10minutes and three female athletes finish under 2 hours 12 minutes.”

    Yussuf, a former African record holder in the Long Jump, noted that, for the 8th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Gold-Label race, the athletes would have their running numbers in front and their names at the back of their competition jerseys.
    “And to avoid any form of controversy, as clearly stipulated by World Athletics, there will be the photo finish device at the finish line of the race at the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island.

    Meanwhile, in preparation for the firstever Gold-Label race in Nigeria, the Expo for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will begin this morning at the Teslim Balogun, Surulere.

    The Expo would see :registered runners pick up their running kits and numbers. The organisers will also have series of exhibitions towards the success of the Gold-Label race. Health talks and several other events geared towards the sucessful organisation of the race.

    The Expo will run from today January 23 to February 2, two days to the race on February 4. The start line for the Gold-Label Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has been slated for the National Stadium, Surulere, for the full Marathon.

    There will also be the 10km race, which for the first time in Nigeria would see Elite athletes compete, as the organisers will be using the race to apply for a Gold-Label race status for 10km.

  • Kenyan Naibei, Ethiopia’s Dinke are winners of 2021 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

    Kenyan Naibei, Ethiopia’s Dinke are winners of 2021 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

    Kenya’s Emmanuel Naibei and Meseret Dinke have emerged as the winners of the 2021edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

    Nabei on Saturday returned a time of 2hrs 15 mins 01 sec (official) to claim the top prize which is 30,000 USD.

    While the winning time falls short of the course record of 2:10:23 set last year, it is the second-fastest ever in the history of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

    A runner-up at the 2019 Guangzhou Marathon where he set his current Personal Best time of2:08:27, the ageing Naibei is still waxing strong.

    Nabei was also among those with podium finishes at the CFLD Beijing Marathon, Beijing where he finished third. Now in its sixth edition, this is the fourth time a Kenyan is emerging as the winner of the Men’s category of the 42km Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

    The Ethiopian duo of Daresa Geleta and Demiso Legese finished in the second and third positions respectively in the men’s category of Saturday’s race.

    In the women’s category, Meseret Dinke reclaimed her title and she did it in style with a new course record after returning a time of 2:28:51Dinke won the 2019 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon but was dethroned last year by Kenyan Sharon Cherop who set the former course record of 2.31.40.

    Celestine Jepchirchir from Kenya and lDesta Nigist Mulune from Ethiopia finished second and third respectively in the women’s category.

    Just like it is in the Men’s category, this is the fourth time an Ethiopian will be winning the female race.

    Istifanus Peter Mahan was the first Nigerian to cross the finish line at this year’s race thus winning the N1m prize money in that category.300 elite runners participated in the race due to strict COVID-19 protocols.