Over 2000 international Elite athletes set for Gold-Label Lagos City Marathon

With the registration, no marathon in Africa has had international athletes compete.

The general manager of the race, Yussuf Alli, said athletes from Europe, East Africa, North Africa, West Africa, Asia, and South America have registered for the race.

The former African record holder in the long jump added that the elite athletes would have been more than that if they hadn’t closed registration early.

He said, “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.

“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.”

Yussuf, revealed that the goal of the race is to attain the “Platinum Label” race status, which only the elite athletes can make a reality.

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.”

However, as part of the preparation for the first-ever Gold-Label race in Nigeria, the Expo for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will begin this morning at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere.

During the Expo, registered runners will receive their running kits and numbers, as well as a series of exhibitions geared toward the race’s success.

Others include, Health talks and other events geared towards the successful organisation of the race.

The Expo will run from Monday to February 2.

The Gold-Label Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will start at the National Stadium, Surulere, for the full marathon.

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