Organizers of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon are setting their sights on achieving a Platinum Label at 10th edition of the event, scheduled to take place in Lagos on February 15th.
With over 60,000 professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts registered for the 42-kilometer race and more than 37,000 athletes confirmed for the double-gold labeled marathon, this year’s edition promises to be one of the most competitive yet.
Speaking at a world press conference on Friday in Lagos, Marathon Technical Director, Yusuf Ali, assured that all preparations are in place for a successful race. He emphasized that with elite athletes participating, there is optimism that a better race time will help the marathon achieve its goal of Platinum Label status.
“We have put everything in place for a successful race. The race will start at 6:30 AM at the National Stadium and follow a mapped route to the final destination, while participants in the 10km race also have their designated course,” Ali told the press in Lagos.
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Ali also confirmed that all athletes who complete the race will receive medals, and doping tests will be conducted for selected athletes.
“Our current course record is 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 23 seconds. With the elite athletes we have this year, we are optimistic about improving the time, which is crucial for attaining Platinum Label status. We have all our Gold Label requirements in place and are ready to execute everything correctly to ensure we reach this milestone.”
As the marathon marks a decade of excellence, it continues to attract some of the best athletes from Africa and around the world. Amaechi Michael Okobi, Chief Brand and Communications Officer for Access Corporation, reaffirmed the marathon’s long-term vision—establishing itself among the world’s most prestigious races, alongside the New York and Boston Marathons.
“The Access Bank Lagos City Marathon brings me immense joy, and I want to see it grow even bigger. This marathon showcases Lagos and Nigeria to the world, and the dream is to make it a must-attend event for major international athletes,” Okobi said at the press conference in Lagos.
“The goal is to get it to a point where we don’t need to beg people to come to the country but will have to buy tickets just like the New York, Boston, London and other major marathons in the world. Let’s challenge ourselves to get it to that level.”
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