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The organizers of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon aim for a faster finishing time of two hours and 10 minutes in the race's 10th edition, taking place tomorrow.
The Race's General Manager and an Olympian,Yusuf Alli,mentioned during a symposium for accredited journalists at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos that the gold label race is on the verge of attaining its platinum label aspiration following its 10th anniversary.
Alli explained that the criteria necessary to obtain the prestigious platinum label have been met by the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, and they are making significant efforts to become the first in Africa to secure the platinum title.
"We currently have a strong lineup of elite runners this year. In the men's category, there are seven gold medal runners and two in platinum, while the women's side has five gold labels and one platinum. The World Athletics (WA) has updated the ranking system, which requires runners to be among the top 300.
"We have satisfied all requirements for the platinum label qualification. This year, we aim to break the norm. Achieving the platinum label will be unprecedented in Africa compared to other countries with marathons. For this milestone 10th anniversary, we have elite athletes capable of helping us secure the platinum medal and also achieving our target time of two hours and 10 minutes," Alli stated.
Alli, who previously served as the Director General of the Edo State Sports Commission (ESSC), also revealed that concerns from the last edition have been properly addressed to ensure a well-organized race this time.
"Last year's water supply issue has been resolved. The organizers have introduced additional incentives to make the 10th anniversary unforgettable, including the appointment of pacers.
"We have an ambitious plan to have three pacers for the men's category and one for the women’s. The three pacers may also complete the race. We will hold a meeting with the athletes to discuss the pacers’ strategy, where one pacer will drop out at 30 kilometers, the second at 35 kilometers, and the final one at 40 kilometers.
If the pacers can maintain their strength, they too can finish, meaning a pacer has the potential to win the race. Currently, we have over 100 elite runners registered. The number of participants in the 10km event exceeds that in the 42km," Alli added.
