By Daily sports on April 10, 2021

The 2021 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will flag off this morning at the traditional starting point, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, under strict Covid-19 guidelines.

Organisers have assured all the ingredients that have made the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon a sought after race by elite runners across the world, runners representatives, thousands of fun runners are in place.

In just its sixth edition, the Lagos race has won prestigious labels like World Athletics Bronze, Silver, and Elite Race labels will be presented.

Also, all the World Athletics and AIMS requirement for label races like gold and silver labelled runners from the pool of 300 runners recognized by World Athletics will be present ditto timing by Mylaps, use of transponders chips, mats at the start, 10km, 21km, 35km, and the finish point, spy cameras along the route and other technical requirements for an elite label race will be present.

However, the over 100,000 runners that normally stand tall at the start point of the 10km and the full marathon which makes the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon one of the top five races in the world in terms of attendance will be absent because of COVID-19.

General Manager Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Yussuf Alli told journalists at a world press conference to unveil the plan for the 2021 race yesterday at Molade Okoya Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos that only 300 runners will participate in this edition because of strict COVID-19 guideline handed the organisers by the Lagos State Safety Commission and the world governing body of athletics, the World Athletics.

Alli told the media that most of the elite runners are gold and silver labelled runners.

Alli also revealed that runners must wear a face mask and observe other COVID-19 protocol guidelines at the start of the race, “but they are free to either remove the mask immediately the race start or wear it until they get to the 400m point”.

The General Manager said all technical officers and other categories of staff including security men and volunteers must wear their face mask at all times.

Unlike in the previous edition where volunteers assist in water distribution, this year runners will pick their waters and fruits by themselves.

Project Consultant Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Bukola Olopade appealed to Lagosians to watch the race from the comfort of their homes,

“There will be no zone for entertainment at the finish, we are not being joined by any musicians or comedian. As matter of fact there won’t be a single DJ at the finish, the events will be live on cable and terrestrial television stations so we appeal to everybody to watch at home”

Olopade also appealed to journalists to follow the event from live television, the social media handle of Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, and the website. (The Guardian)

•PHOTO: Participants in a past edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

Source Daily sports

Posted April 10, 2021

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