Access Bank marathon: 125 foreigners apply

A total of 125 foreign elite athletes have declared their interest in the February 11, 2017, Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

But the General Manager of the marathon Yussuf Alli says only 60 foreign elite athletes and 100 Nigerians will be invited.

Alli said, “We are expecting 50,000 participants this year, so we welcome runners from all parts of the world but we will cover travel expenses and accommodation of only 160 elite athletes – 60 elite athletes from different parts of the world and 100 Nigerian elite athletes.”

Alli confirmed that Kenya’s Daniel Kinyua, who is currently ranked among the top 10 in the world, will be in Lagos for the race.

With a personal best of 2:05:21, Kinyua won the 2016 Amsterdam Marathon.

Alli also confirmed that Kenya’s World Half Marathon bronze medallist Sammy Kitwaic would take part in the Lagos race.

Kitwaic ran 2:04:28 at 2014 Chicago Marathon and 2:05:45 at the 2016 Amsterdam Marathon.

Another Kenyan Marius Kimutai, who ran 2:05:47 at the 2016 Amsterdam Marathon, and Ethiopian Siraj Gena, who won the 2010 Rome Marathon, 2013 Istanbul Marathon and 2016 Buenos Aires Marathon, are also coming to Lagos.

In the women’s category, Alli said Mamitu Dasic, Alice Timbili, Haliem Hussan Beriso and Kenya’s Emily Samoe, who won the 2013 Barcelona International Marathon and 2015 1st Xiamen International Marathon, would participate in the Lagos marathon.

“Our projection is 50,000 runners but the response has tremendous. The response online has been great. At the end of the day, the number of runners that may turn out on February 11 may surpass our projection,’’ said Alli.