The 2020 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is guaranteed to be a spectacular one following the assurances given by the organizers and sponsors alike at a media parley held on Wednesday at the Press Centre at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa.
Bukola Olopade, Managing Director of Nilayo Sports Management Ltd and the Chief Consultant of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, announced that some of the key sponsors of the race have already purchased over 50,000 forms for runners, while a good number of participants have independently paid to be part of the fifth edition of the Lagos Marathon.
He also confirmed the new status of the Lagos Race, which has now been accorded a Silver Label, and thanked everyone that has contributed to the huge success.
“I am very glad about the success we have recorded as far as the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is concerned. I remember when we wanted to start this journey some years ago, not many gave us a chance to succeed but under five years we have become the first marathon that has been given a Silver Label” Olopade noted.
“We are very grateful to the Lagos State Government for their unflinching support, our headline sponsor Access Bank, as well as the other sponsors who have all been unrelenting, I can assure you that we will not lower the standards we have already set but instead, expect an even better race in 2020,” the former Ogun States Sports Commissioner assured.
On his part, Amaechi Okobi, Group Head, Communications and External Affairs at Access Bank Plc said the bank is very happy to be part of the success story that the Lagos Marathon has become.
He said: “We have found this platform incredible, not just in terms of the return on investment but we are helping to change the narrative of Nigeria and even Africa, that something good and worthwhile can indeed come from this part of the world.
“When you think about a marathon, so many things come to mind, the road, security, the runners and other things, but since edition one till four, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has not recorded any major incidence and that is not a mean feat.
“I can boldly say this marathon is now a major fixture in every serious runner’s calendar, so it means we are doing a lot of things right and we can only get better.”
Sola Aiyepeku, the Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) reiterated the support of the state government towards the success of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.
He said: “I am proud to be part of the first Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, I must say I am even more happy that it has grown bigger than we ever imagined in less than five years. Lagos State will always support events like this. Apart from helping to improve tourism, the youth in the state now look forward to this annually.”
Yusuf Alli, the General Manager for the Marathon, affirmed that a good number of Gold and Silver Label runners have been confirmed for the 2020 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City billed for February 8.
