Sports

Access Bank Lagos City Marathon: Elite runners arrive from Kenya, Ethiopia

Published

5 years ago

April 7, 2021

The strong cast of elite runners invited for the 2021 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon are now in town for Saturday’s eagerly-anticipated race.

According to an official statement released by Olukayode Thomas, Head Communication and Media for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, over 95% of the elite runners have already arrived in Lagos while a few others are scheduled to jet in early Thursday.

Thomas confirmed that the 2019 Women champion, Meseret Dinke and fellow Ethiopians Sechale Dalasa, Motu Megersa and Obse Abdeta have all arrived from their respective bases.

Obse was among the top ten finishers at the last Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon where she posted an impressive time of 2:29:30.

The 21-year old was also present at the 2019 Toray Cup – Shanghai International Marathon where her (2:27:47) finish time was good enough to make it to the podium

Thomas also confirmed the arrival of the Kenyan quartet of Jane Seurey, Winny Jepkorir, Esther Macharia and Salina Jebet who will all be jostling for the thousands of dollars up for grabs in the Lagos race.

Salina was the winner of the 2019 Marathon Eiffage de Dakar, Dakar and was also part of the 2019 International Peace Marathon, Kigali and Asics Firenze Marathon, Firenze in the same year.’

Aside from eyeing the top prize in Lagos the elite women runners will also be gunning to erase Sharon Cherop’s course record of 2:37:52 set the last year 2020.

For the men’s category, Cosmas Kyeva, Jackson Kotut, Evans Kipkosgei Ruto, Julius Tuwei and Emmanuel Naibei all from Kenya are among the early arrivals in Lagos for Saturday’s World Athletics Silver Label Race.

Now in its sixth edition, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, the biggest one-day event in Africa usually attracts over 100,000 runners but the number has been reduced to just 300 runners for the 2021 edition slated for April 10.

Organisers have however perfected plans to have many others be part of the excitement by participating in its virtual race.

Runners can participate by signing up for the Virtual 10KM on Finerge, all they have to do is download the mobile app on either Google Play or Appstore, register for the Virtual 10km.

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Sports

PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon Earns World Athletics Label

Published

2 days ago

October 29, 2025

The Gleamer

Nigeria’s foremost Sports Company, Nilayo Sports Management Limited (NSML) has announced the second edition of the PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon, set to light up Nigeria’s capital city on Saturday, December 6, 2025.

With the theme “Steady Strides,” this year’s race captures the measured rhythm and determined pace that define world-class long-distance running, a reflection of the steady progress and ambitious vision shaping the marathon’s evolution into a global platinum-labelled event.

In a historic milestone for Nigerian sports, the PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon has been officially awarded the prestigious World Athletics Label for its second edition, a distinction achieved in record time. This remarkable feat makes it the first marathon globally to earn the label so swiftly, underscoring both the organizational excellence of NSML and the dynamic rise of PremiumTrust Bank, currently celebrated as Nigeria’s fastest-growing commercial bank.

The 2025 edition is expected to attract elite international athletes, top local runners, and marathon enthusiasts from around the world, alongside officials from World Athletics who will oversee the competition.

Speaking on the announcement, Managing Director of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Yetunde Olopade, expressed excitement about the unique partnership with PremiumTrust Bank.

“This second edition is fundamentally unique because it represents the first-ever true super-partnership on such a dynamic sports property in our nation and arguably, globally. PremiumTrust Bank is not just a sponsor but the sole partner anchoring the establishment, organization, and consolidation of a global marathon in Nigeria’s capital city.

” We are proud and grateful for the bank’s visionary leadership, which not only recognized the immense potential of the first edition but is now single-handedly driving the race toward international acclaim.”

Managing Director of PremiumTrust Bank, Dr. Emmanuel Efe Emefienim (CON) emphasized the shared values underpinning the partnership.

“PremiumTrust Bank is built on the philosophy of rapid, impactful, and sustainable growth, and the theme of this year’s marathon perfectly reflects our operational ethos.”

“Attaining World Athletics Label status in just the second year validates that our investment is yielding world-class outcomes. We are deeply proud to be the sole partner building this monumental legacy, reinforcing our commitment to sports development, community wellbeing, excellence, and platforms where champions are made.”

The PremiumTrust Bank Abuja City International Half Marathon 2025 promises to be a spectacular celebration of endurance, athleticism, and community spirit, further strengthening Abuja’s status on the global racing calendar.

Registration for participants is currently open as it promises to be another marathon spectacle on the 6th of December 2025.

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