BY ADEYEMI ROBINSON-ADEFIOYE LAGOS
Well-respected former Nigerian road runner YOHANNA WAZIRI has showered encomiums on the Lagos State Governor BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU for his instant impact on the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.
WAZIRI who competed in the men’s marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics said he is very happy to see the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon move up the ladder from the World Athletics Bronze Level, it was during the regime of the former Governor AKINWUNMI AMBODE to a World Athletics Silver Label month into the tenure of SANWO-OLU.
In a statement signed by OLUKAYODE THOMAS Head Communications and Media Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, WAZIRI whose personal best is 2hours .15 minutes achieved over two decades ago is confident that SANWO-OLU will take the race to Gold and even Platinum label.
“I must say that I am very delighted with the way the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is getting bigger and bigger every year, from no label at all, it is now a Silver Label, I congratulate everyone that has worked hard to bring this to reality especially the Governor Sanwo-Olu and my amiable brother Yussuf Alli,” he said.
WAZIRI noted that the gains accrued from the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon are enormous as Nigeria is beginning to claw her way back to relevance as far as long-distance races are concerned.
“Since it (Access Bank Lagos City Marathon) started, it has been a blessing, the culture of long-distance races is back and more races are springing up from across the states.
“The athletes are also improving each year and they are getting good money for their hard work so it has really been a commendable innovation”
WAZIRI challenged Northern Governors to emulate SANWO-OLU.
For WAZIRI, it is not good enough that while Northern athletes rule long distant races in Nigeria, virtually none of their states boast of any world-class marathon as obtained in Lagos.
“Yes, I will like to appeal to our governors in the North to learn from what Sanwo-Olu has continued in Lagos, we need quality races in the North, our region already boasts of top athletes and I know many more will be unearthed if we take this serious like Lagos is doing” WAZIRI concluded.
The 2020 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is billed for February 8 with a long list of Gold and Silver Labelled athletes already confirmed for the race.
Since its inception, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has made a special concession to Nigerian athletes; carving out a separate reward system outside the general prize monies.
With cars and prize monies being won each year by the runners, governors have been advised that crime and other vices can be reduced a great deal with the introduction of sporting events like the Lagos Marathon
