The IAAF Road Races Manager, Alessio Punzi is expected to arrive in Lagos on Wednesday for the fourth edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon slated for this weekend.
Aside from Punzi, Norrie Williamson, an IAAF/AIMS Grade A measurer will also be coming in from South Africa for this year’s race.
Williamson who helped secure certification for the Lagos marathon route is a course measurer for over three decades.
He measured the course for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, 2000 Sydney Olympics, Athens 2004 Olympics and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
According to a statement from Olukayode Thomas, the Head of Communications and Media for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, other elite athletes from across the world that would be part of this year’s marathon will also be arriving from their different bases.
For the 2019 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, as much as 35 Gold, 13 Silver and 12 Bronze Labelled Runners have already registered to be part of the event.
Among many other big names, David Barmasai Tumo from Kenya who won the 2011 Dubai Marathon will be competing at the 2019 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.
Also, his compatriots, Jacob Kibet Chulyo, Moses Kigen Kipkosgei are in the mix for action as well as Samuel Gebremichael who now does his thing for Australia.
The female field also boasts of some of the top runners in the world including the likes of Agnes Jeruto Kiptocich who finished as runners up in the 2017 Paris Marathon.
Caroline Cheptanui Kilel winner of the 2011 Boston Marathon, as well as Georgina Rono and Risper Jemeli Kimayo, are all pencilled down to run at the Lagos Marathon.
Yusuf Alli, the General Manager for the Lagos Marathon, expressed delight at the interest being shown by the big names to run in Lagos and he is quite positive that a new course record will be set on Saturday.
