₦airaland Forum

ACCESS BANK LAGOS CITY MARATHON; MAKING ITS WAY TO A SILVER LABEL RACE

If you needed proof that the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is the biggest singular sporting event in West Africa you need not look any further than the recently concluded fourth installment which happened on February 2, 2019.

100,000 runners. 4,000 international runners. 20 elite* runners. The athletes: 42km runners; 10km runners; wheelchair racers; first timers; veterans, runners who came from far and wide. Then there were those who came to watch just to be a part of something incredible. There were sponsors. There were vendors. There were artists. There was the GMD of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe and the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode. It’s not often that a single event touches so many in so many different ways.
There were many reasons to celebrate this year's marathon.

In the four years Access Bank has partnered with the Lagos State Government to organize the marathon, we've seen the attitude of Nigerians everywhere change towards sports, personal health, green initiatives, and even national pride.
This year’s edition brought the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon a little closer to that coveted goal of becoming a Silver Label race. Suntayahu Legese of Ethiopia won the competition overall, after a dramatic finish that saw him overtake Joshua Kipkorir of Kenya, the front-runner for most of the race, in the final leg.
William Yegon who is also Kenyan completed the trifecta of male winners for the main event. Ethiopian, Dinke Meseret dominated the women’s race getting to the finish line before Almnesh Herepa and Kabena Chala. Nigerian winners, Sunday Manasa and Deborah Badung both came in at 6th in the overall rankings, with better times than Iliya Pam from the first Marathon who came in 17th overall, and Olude Fadekemi who came 12th overall in the women’s category during the 2017 race.

With a total cash prize that came up to $400,000, and prize categories that rewarded not just the male and female winners of the marathon but also the first Nigerians to finish the marathon and a separate 10km marathon, the Access Lagos City Marathon is one of the most inclusive marathons on the continent.
A major event like the Marathon has attracted interest in long distance running as a preferred form of exercise. Even with a Bronze Category, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has put the world on notice of the amazing spectacle that can come out of Nigeria. With each edition, lessons are learned and improvements are made, and we are in no doubt that soon enough the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will achieve the Silver Label status it deserves.

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Buhari read it in today's Vanguard newspaper

E get anybody wey him family member dey run??

Okay oh

If any Nigerian intend to attempt to finish within the top 5, he/she should go to Taraba State to train as high altitude training is core alongside an experienced coach.

it was a lovely day indeed

mad ooo i wish i went

Pavore9:
If any Nigerian intend to attempt to finish within the top 5, he/she should go to Taraba State to train as high altitude training is core alongside an experienced coach.

People in Taraba state are also Nigerian. Rather we should get them to participate in events like this! You really see Northern Nigerian people in any competitive events of this nature.

Nice which i was there

rubbish.
dashed our money to foreigners

Madeu:
People in Taraba state are also Nigerian. Rather we should get them to participate in events like this! You really see Northern Nigerian people in any competitive events of this nature.

Yes, they are Nigerians but they don't get to train for marathon with the high attitude natural to them. If their State ministry of Sport is smart enough they could scout for potentials and the best among them taken to Kenya for some months training and bring them back home to continue their training under an experienced coaches and entering them into competitions, we can then dream of finishing on the podium.

Qtsnow:
ACCESS BANK LAGOS CITY MARATHON; MAKING ITS WAY TO A SILVER LABEL RACE

Does Ambode run at all?

Even on a sporting day Ambode still wear jeans

Great pics!! Congratulations i found information in Google F.

Dpharisee:
Buhari read it in today's Vanguard newspaper

That photo was tweaked and Old

Kudos to the winners and sponsors.