By Mike Oboh
World Athletics over the weekend released its 2022 Label Road Race calendar and races that retain its label status with Africa’s biggest one-day event, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon retaining its Elite Label Race Status in Category ‘A’.
Slated for February 12, 2022, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon retained its Elite Label Status in a season that races like Dubai Marathon and others were missing.
While New York Marathon will hold on the first Sunday in November, London Marathon will not hold in April but on October 2.
The 2022 calendar kicks off with the 10K Valencia Race on January 9 and concludes almost 12 months later on December 31 with the traditional New Year’s Eve races in Madrid, Spain, and Bolzano, Italy. “Despite the continued uncertainty around global travel and on mass gatherings in some parts of the world, the number of events that have chosen to be part of the World Athletics Label Road Races programme in 2022 exceeds 200,” said World Athletics Road Running Manager Alessio Punzi.
Meanwhile, the Project Consultant of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Bukola Olopade has said Access Bank Lagos City Marathon continue to rub shoulders with global elite races like New York Marathon and London Marathon because of support from the Lagos State Government and sponsors,
“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been very supportive of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon financially and even participating in the race. I also thank the Headline Sponsor Access Bank for the huge financial support. When the project was just an idea on paper most corporate bodies did not believe in us but Access Bank did.
“I must also thank 7UP Bottling Company, Kia Motors, Revolution Plus Property Limited and several organizations like LASTMA who made this dream a reality”.
Collaborating Olopade, the General Manager Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Yussuf Alli attributed the race meteoric rise to quality of elite field “ the elite runners will bring every year are in the World Athletics top 300 with ‘Where About’ for drug testing. The pacers we use annually are also top class, we pay prize money promptly, our finish area has been adjudged one of the best in the world by World Athletics, then our pool of dedicated staff have made our race to be ranked among the best in the world within seven years. We also thank our media partners for their support”. said Alli.
