Access Bank Lagos City Marathon… racing to Platinum Label status

Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

As the 8th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon holds on Saturday, February 4, the aspiration of the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management, is to attain the prestigious Platinum Label status within the shortest possible time.

The Access Bank Lagos City Marathon made the historic Gold-Label status last year, the first full marathon in Africa to attain such height, and the 25th in the world.

Within a short period of its operation, from December 11, 2015, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has made tremendous gains, winning the World Athletics Bronze Label in 2017 to become the third marathon to achieve such feat in the world. It achieved it just after the second edition.

In 2019, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon won the Silver Label to become the first to achieve such in the world after four editions. It added another feather in 2021, winning the World Athletics Elite Running Label, and last year, it attained the Gold-label status.

In 2018, World athletics governing body (then IAAF), introduced the Platinum Label for the 2020 season.

For the 2021 season, the Platinum Label was renamed Elite Platinum Label, the Gold Label was renamed Elite Label, and the Silver and Bronze Labels were merged into Label Races.

The Labels are assessed and awarded each year. Race organisers have to apply to the World Athletics for recognition, and show that their race can meet a number of criteria. The criteria vary for the different levels; Gold Labels have the strictest requirements, followed by Silver, then Bronze. All three categories require what the World Athletics describes as an international elite field, that requires at least five nations (four for Bronze) to be represented by runners with times faster than the