Winifred Bosa

No fewer than 50,000 athletes from across the world are expected to participate in the second edition of Access Bank Lagos City Marathon billed to hold on February 11, 2017.

Addressing a world press conference on the marathon, the Lagos State Governor, .Akinwunmi Ambode said that necessary logistics have been put in place to make the event hugely successful, and as well promote the tourism potentials of the State.

The Governor said about 33, 753 runners including 65 elite marathoners from different parts of the world and over 100 local elite runners participated in the 2016 edition held on February 6 this year, and the marathon was adjudged as one of the best in the world.

He said that the 2017 edition, would also feature the top ten men and women marathoners in the world, who would also be joined by many gold label, silver label and bronze label marathoners from different parts of the world.

He said the appearance fees for gold label runners is $50,000, silver label $20,000 and bronze label $10,000, adding that invited local and foreign elite runners would be paid 50 per cent of their appearance fee now and balance up when they arrive Lagos for the tourney.

Winner of the 2017 Lagos City Marathon, according to the Governor would also go home with a cash prize of $50,000, while second and third place winners will smile home with $40,000 and $30,000 respectively.

“The Lagos City Marathon is presently ranked 68th in the world, but our desire is to make it the top ten in the world and that is what we are working on with the next episode of the event.

“Unlike the one held on February 6 this year, where we had over 30,000 athletes who participated, we are targeting a minimum of 50,000 runners who will take the city of Lagos by storm and put the city on the world map for coming up with such a huge event.

“We look forward to something exciting happening in Lagos. We are going to use sports as a vehicle to help develop our youths and when you talk about youth development you have to talk about recreational sports, about how you mentally activate younger ones and we just think that this marathon is one of those vehicles that we should use to galvanise sports in younger ones and even Lagosians at large,” Governor Ambode said.