AS the 10th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon holds this Saturday, the aspiration of the organisers is to secure the ultimate Platinum Label status.
And to the Managing Director/CEO of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Mrs. Yetunde Olopade, getting the status is a mission possible.
Speaking at a World Press Conference in Lagos on Friday, Olopade said the major target for this year’s race, which is the 10th edition, is to achieve the Platinum Label.
“Our eyes are set in achieving this, which I think will be a strong position for Lagos State and Nigeria as a country,” she said. “We have done everything we can, and I am optimistic we will get it.”
Mrs. Olopade commended the sponsors, especially the Lagos State government and Access Bank, saying it has been a 10 glorious years of strong partnership.
The General Manager of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, Olympian Yusuf Ali, said the Gold Label category race is closer to achieving its Platinum Label category after the 10th anniversary.
Ali, Nigeria’s record holder in men’s Long Jump explained that the major target this Saturday is for any of the elite athlete to finish the race at 2hrs: 10minutes, which is one of the major criteria to get the Platinum Label.
Ali said all that is required for the label had been fulfilled by the Access Bank Lagos City marathon, adding that it is working hard to be the first in Africa to achieve the Platinum.
“Right now, we have good numbers of elite runners participating this year. We have seven gold medal runners in male category, two in Platinum, five gold labels for females and one in Platinum. Right now, the World Athletics (WA) has changed the ranking modalities and the runners must be among the top 300.
“We have ticked all the boxes needed for qualification for the Platinum label. We are changing the status quo this year. Achieving the Platinum label category will be the first of such in Africa among other countries staging marathons. For this 10th anniversary, we have the elite athletes that can give us the Platinum Medal and also have our cross record which is 2hours: 10minutes.
Trying to control his emotion, Ali attributed the success of the race to the late MD/CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, who died in a helicopter crash alongside his wife and son on the day of the 2024 edition of the event in the United States.
He disclosed that the prize money for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon would change if it gets the Platinum Label.
“When we got the Silver Label, the prize money was $30,000. It changed to $50,000 when we got the Gold Label. It will automatically change by the time we get the Platinum Label,” Ali said.
On his part, the Group Head, Corporate Communications, Access Bank Plc, Amaechi Okobi, said: “We are happy many sponsors have joined this race, but we have to do everything possible to make it better.”
The Chairman, Lagos Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, said the state government would always support the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon because it has become one of the most prestigious races across the globe. “It has provided the platform for our people to share ideal with foreigners from different parts of the globe,” he said.
