Local News

Over 81 Elite athletes, 15 refugee runners confirmed for 9th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

Published

10 months ago

February 6, 2024

Over eighty one world class elite runners who are basically Gold Label athletes have confirmed their participation in the 9th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, which comes up on Saturday, February 10, 2024.

Among these over 81 elite runners, there are 29 gold label women runners, which in totality, according to the General Manager of the Lagos City Marathon, Yusuf Ali, has a very rich and world class running field with the potential of unearthing a new course record come February 10.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, the owners of the Lagos City Marathon, Chief Bukola Olopade, the United Nations, has also confirmed the participation of 15 refugee runners among the rich field of runners that will be participating in the 9th Lagos City Marathon.

The race General Manager, and former Africa record holder in the Long Jump for 27 years, noted that, the confirmation of over 81 world class Gold Label runners, is positive thing for the 9th edition of the Lagos City Marathon, especially as the organisers are preparing for the 10th edition of the race with the biggest prospect of uplifting the race from the Gold Label status to the Platinuum Label.

“Our target is to ensure that our registered world class elite runners help propel the Lagos City Marathon to the Platinuum Label. This is possible with the calibre of runners that will be on the field on February 10. If we can produce five elite runners crossing the finish line at 2 hours 8 minutes, we shall most definitely climb to the Platinuum Label.

“With the presence of a former world record holder like Demis Kipmeto on 2 hours 02 minutes and 57 seconds, Kelkile Gezahegan (Ethiopia) on 2hours 05 minutes and 56 seconds, Kiptoo Edwin on 2hours 06 minutes and 52 seconds and female runners like Valary Jemeli (Kenya) on 2 hours 19minutes, there is a huge possibility that the status of the Lagos City Marathon will change at the end of this race on Saturday, February 10.

Yusuf Ali, disclosed that, the 9th Lagos City Marathon will be used to select qualifiers for the next edition of the Olympic Games, Paris 2024.

He stressed the 9th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will be a great race by all standards, this year. He added that, air quality control will be checked by the World Athletics among other things done in top world class marathon races across the world.

Author

Ambrose Ijeh

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Local News

Champions League: Ayodele Thomas Congratulates Edo Queens On Semi-Finals Ticket

Published

8 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

Champions League: Ayodele Thomas Congratulates Edo Queens On Semi-Finals Ticket

One of Nigeria’s foremost female football promoter and investors, Ayodele Thomas, has congratulated the management and team of Nigeria’s representatives at the ongoing CAF Women’s Champions league, Edo Queens, for beating defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1, to qualify for the semi-finals stage of the championship.

In his statement, Thomas, the CEO of TopPro Sports Management Company, described the feats of the Edo Queens, as awesome and inspiring. He noted that while no Nigerian female club has reached this level, the Edo Queens have invariably made a statement that female football in Nigeria, is once again, on the rise.

“I am proud of our girls. Beating the defending champions to qualify for the semi-finals in no mean feat. They are true ambassadors of Nigeria.

“Let me also appreciate the efforts of the Edo State government and the State Sports Commission. They have been instrumental in all the feats achieved so far, by the girls,” Thomas added.

He went ahead to urge the girls to beat their next opponents, TP Mazembe, and go ahead to make history as the first Nigerian female team to win the lucrative CAF Women’s Champions League title.

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Ambrose Ijeh

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Local News

Edo Queens Battle TP Mazembe For Champions League Final Place

Published

14 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

Edo Queens Battle TP Mazembe For Champions League Final Place

Gritty Nigerian champions Edo Queens will now battle TP Mazembe for a place in the CAF Women’s Champions League final after they literally came from the dead to upstage mighty Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Nigerian champions won Group B with seven points and will Tuesday do battle in the semifinal against TP Mazembe, who finished as runners-up in Group A.

Home team AS FAR of Morocco will take on FC Masar of Egypt in the other semifinal.

Edo Queens were heading home after they conceded the opening goal in the 24th minute to two-time Champions League winners Sundowns, before they scored twice in stoppage.

Emem Essien, who inspired the comeback with the equaliser, was named Player of the Match.

Scorenigeria

Author

Ambrose Ijeh

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Local News

After Controversial Report, NFF Promise Super Eagles 10% Of Outstanding Monies

Published

14 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

After Controversial Report, NFF Promise Super Eagles 10% Of Outstanding Monies

After a controversial breaking story by ScoreNigeria, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Ibrahim Gusau, has promised the Super Eagles will be paid 10% of their outstanding payments not later than next month.

The Super Eagles expressed their disappointment that they have not been paid allowances and bonuses with some of these monies dating as far back as 2020.

The players said this has caused them to lack the motivation to play for the national team.

This was at a meeting in Abidjan with Gusau.

The NFF boss has now given the team a commitment that due to the poor finances of the NFF, they will receive 10% of these monies in the new month.

However, close watchers have been left stunned by the rationale behind this payment even after the Federal Government of Nigeria paid 17 Billion Naira to the NFF to offset the debts owed the Super Eagles as well as the Flying Eagles, Falconets and the Golden Eaglets that go back several years.