Organisers of the 11th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, Nilayo Sports Management Limited, have announced plans to reshare medals for the 10km race following crowding and confusion at the finish line on Saturday.
The marathon, which started at Orca Shopping Mall, Ahmadu Bello Way, Eko Atlantic City, and concluded at Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, saw Kenya’s Ezra Kering win the men’s 42km race in 2:11:55, while Ethiopia’s Meseret Dinke claimed the women’s title in 2:37:36.
Despite the smooth completion of the full marathon, the 10km event experienced a chaotic rush at the medal collection point, with reports of crowd surges, alleged medal-buying, and unauthorised participants using bibs from previous editions.
In a statement issued Sunday and made available to ENigeria Newspaper, organisers expressed regret for the distress caused, saying, “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the surge or who experienced discomfort during this period. We deeply regret any anxiety or inconvenience caused.”
“We also observed a significant influx of individuals arriving at the 10km finish area and attempting to access medals even before the 10km race had officially commenced. In addition, there were cases of unauthorised participants, including individuals using running bibs from previous marathon editions that were not issued for the 2026 race.”
Runners who have yet to receive their medals are advised to present valid race bibs and identification. The organisers promised an “immediate and orderly medal redistribution exercise” at designated collection points with strict queuing, enhanced volunteer support, and reinforced security.
A detailed schedule for medal collection, including dates, times, and venues, will soon be shared via official marathon channels.
“In response, we have activated robust plans for an immediate and orderly medal redistribution exercise. In the coming days, medals will be made available for collection by verified runners. To ensure fairness and proper control, all runners must present their original race bib at designated collection points, where strict queuing protocols, enhanced volunteer presence, and reinforced security measures will be in place.
“A comprehensive schedule detailing dates, times and the exact collection venue will be communicated across all official marathon channels shortly.”
