By Flinster Austin
Published on 2024-02-10 14:40:51
Yusuf Alli, the Technical Director of Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday and disclosed that 5,000 runners were disqualified for failing to pick up their running kits on time. Alli emphasized the importance of timely registration and kit pickup to ensure the accuracy of runner records and adhere to the World Road Race’s standards. He explained that the last-minute rush by runners after the kit pickup deadline led to the disqualification of a significant number of participants.
Alli highlighted the impact of the delayed kit collection on the number of runners in the marathon, noting that the failure to abide by the deadline made it challenging to have an accurate count of participants. Despite the disqualifications, he expressed optimism that the numbers would increase in future editions of the marathon. Alli attributed the decrease in participants to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic but remained hopeful about the gradual recovery of participation.
In addition to addressing the disqualifications, Alli discussed the improvement of the 42 km Gold Label race since its inception nine years ago. He noted that the time difference between elite runners and Nigerian runners had significantly reduced, indicating progress in the development of local talent. Alli expressed confidence that Nigeria would produce top athletes in the next two years, citing the potential for improvement in the country’s long-distance running.
As a former gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games, Alli outlined the marathon’s plans to focus on developing Nigerian runners in the coming year. He proposed narrowing the field of elite runners to ensure better compensation for top performers, which would include an increase in bonuses from $10,000 to $20,000. Alli also mentioned the consideration of altering the marathon date due to the unfavorable weather conditions.
In his role as the Chairman of the Nigerian Road Race, Alli discussed the committee’s vision to enhance the quality of road races in the country. He outlined plans to certify and measure the road races using accurate marathon devices to prevent discrepancies, in addition to implementing an exchange program with Kenyan athletes to train Nigerian runners. Alli emphasized the potential benefits of bringing Kenyan runners to Nigeria for training and collaboration.
Overall, Alli’s interview highlighted the challenges faced by the marathon in managing participant registrations and kit pickups, as well as the ongoing efforts to improve the quality of the event and develop local running talent in Nigeria.
