Athletics
LIVE STREAMING FOR CAPE TOWN VIRTUAL MARATHON
SPNAfrica.com, the Sports Streaming and Video Content Portal will be streaming the Sanlam Cape Town Virtual Marathon, live, across Africa and around the world, on October 18, 2020. This will be done in terms of an agreement reached with the host broadcaster, SABC Sport.
SPNAfrica CEO and co-founder, Robin Petersen, said he was thrilled that SPNAfrica would be hosting the live-stream.
“The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is a global event which is perfectly suited for our global, Pan-African streaming and content portal. We are delighted that the SCTM will be visible to the running community across the continent and the world,” Petersen said.
Barry Van Blerk, General Manager of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, said live streaming, which makes the event more accessible to race fans around the world, was icing on the cake for race organisers in the exciting build-up to the race.
“We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved with the roll-out of the app, which ensures the virtual participation of runners around the world.
“Now, fans will be able to follow the runners, including three groups of elite runners in three cities, as well as those running virtually, as they run.
“This will be a novel experience for runners and viewers alike. Ensuring that live coverage is streamed around the world is the cherry on top for us.”
Sydney Mbhele, Chief Executive of Sanlam Brand explains that this year things will be done a little differently, “Sanlam has been the headline sponsor of the marathon for seven years. For the first time ever, we’ll be running virtually in different parts of the world, but together, we can make it count.
“As Africa’s biggest non-banking financial services company, we believe in the potential of the people of this continent.
“Like us, SCTM has built a marathon for the people of Africa and having Africa’s top runners on the road on 18 October is testimony to this belief.
“Now, more than ever, we’re all seeking ways to inspire one another. It’s been phenomenal to see how people have pulled together during this pandemic.
“We invite all Africans to unite and tune in on Sunday to watch this exciting global event. On behalf of Sanlam, we wish all the runners and their supporters the very best on race day,” says Mbhele.
The marathon, which features a unique app sponsored by Sanlam and specially designed to provide a “Cape Town” ambience to runners competing virtually from across the world, is the only IAAF Gold event on the African continent.
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was also one of the first marathons to announce it would go virtual after the worldwide coronavirus pandemic struck.
As with the London Marathon, the Cape Town Marathon includes a “real” elite component with South Africa’s leading marathoners racing simultaneously in three cities, Cape Town, Potchefstroom and Pretoria.
A science-based altitude factor will be applied to those racing at altitude to ensure a level playing field for all.
The live stream will present action updates from all three centres as well as providing virtual run statistics and timings from South Africa and around the world. The high-quality, over-the-internet video “stream” is optimised for mobile devices as well as larger screens.
Sports Network Africa looks forward to expanding the reach of the Cape Town Marathon and its partners by providing sports fans across Africa and around the world with an exciting and unique media
experience.
The Future Olympian Athletics Classic has been rescheduled from the first quarter of 2026 to the last quarter of the year, as organisers move to transform the meet into a truly national developmental programme spanning Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
In a statement signed by Bruce Ijirigho, a former quarter-miler and Team Nigeria captain to the 1976 Summer Olympics, the postponement was described as a strategic decision aimed at broadening participation and ensuring that young talents across the country are discovered and nurtured systematically.
The competition is being organised by the Youth Sports Renaissance Foundation (YSRF), a non-profit organisation registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission by Ijirigho, Godwin Obasogie and Charlton Ehizuelen. The foundation’s primary objective is to revive athletics, particularly at the secondary school level, and rebuild Nigeria’s once-thriving grassroots sports culture.
Ijirigho, who serves as Project Lead, explained that the initiative is not about creating something entirely new but about restoring a proven system that once produced champions.
“This competition is not about reinventing the wheel,” he said. “It is about bringing back the culture that ensured that my contemporaries and I were discovered early in secondary school, received the right coaching and academic support, and went on to earn scholarships while combining sports with education. Many of us later became national, continental and global champions.”
He identified early exposure and modern, age-appropriate coaching as the missing links in youth development across Nigeria and much of Africa.
“The bane of sports in Nigeria and many African countries is that our youth don’t get opportunities early enough and lack modern coaching techniques that accelerate their development,” Ijirigho stated.
According to him, the Future Olympian Athletics Classic will go beyond competition by incorporating international coaching clinics designed to transfer contemporary skills and knowledge to Games masters and grassroots coaches nationwide.
“The Classic will not only discover talents in their early teens but also upgrade the capacity of our coaches. That way, we will nurture them properly to become Olympians and world beaters in their late teens and early twenties. This programme is strictly for high school students because it is developmental.”
The decision to expand the event to all six geopolitical zones, he noted, reflects a commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.
“Talents abound in every nook and cranny of the country. There are middle- and long-distance runners, sprinters, quarter-milers, jumpers and hurdlers who were either not discovered at all or discovered too late. With this postponement, we can widen the tent and give every Nigerian child a fair chance.”
Ijirigho expressed confidence that with proper planning and sustained grassroots investment, Nigeria can reclaim its place at the summit of global athletics.
“We have what it takes to dominate athletics worldwide. All we need is to get our development programme right. The Future Olympian Athletics Classic will lay that foundation for our youth and for the country when it begins in the last quarter of 2026.”
With its expanded national scope and emphasis on structured youth development, the initiative signals a renewed push to reposition Nigerian athletics for long-term global success.
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Kenya’s Ezra Kipchumba Kering delivered a commanding Valentine’s Day performance to win the 11th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon on Saturday.
Kipchumba surged to the finish line at Eko Atlantic City in an impressive time of 2:11:55, clinching the $50,000 winner’s prize in one of Africa’s most prestigious road races. His decisive kick in the closing stages sealed a memorable triumph in a fiercely contested men’s elite race.
Uganda completed a strong showing on the podium, with Lomoi Samuel finishing just four seconds behind the winner in 2:11:59, while compatriot Namutala Kephar Lumbasi secured third place in 2:12:25 to underline East Africa’s dominance in the men’s event.
The Gold Label marathon, organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited under the leadership of Managing Director Mrs Yetunde Olopade, once again lived up to its billing as a premier long-distance spectacle, attracting top-tier athletes from across the continent and beyond.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Dinke Meseret Meleka claimed top honours, crossing the line in 2:37:36 after a determined run. Kenya’s Daniel Flomena Cheyech followed closely in 2:37:43, while Ethiopia’s Getaw Wgagen Zewdalem finished third in 2:38:59 to complete a tightly fought podium finish.
With another thrilling chapter added to its history, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon reaffirmed its growing stature as a leading destination for elite runners and a major highlight on Africa’s athletics calendar.
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By Kunle Solaja.
The organisers of the gold-labelled Access Bank Lagos City Marathon have described Saturday’s 11th edition as an iconic milestone that ushers in a new decade for one of Africa’s most prestigious road races.
Speaking at a press conference held at the headquarters of Access Bank in Lagos, the Managing Director of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Mrs Yetunde Olopade, said the 2026 edition represents growth, resilience and renewed ambition for the marathon.
“This 11th edition is symbolic for us. It is not just another race; it signals the beginning of another decade of excellence, impact and global recognition for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon,” Olopade said.
She expressed appreciation to Access Bank, corporate sponsors and the Lagos State Government for their unwavering support and commitment to the annual event.
“We are deeply grateful to Access Bank, our valued sponsors and the Lagos State Government for their consistency and belief in this vision. Together, we have built one of the most revered road races in Africa, and this year’s event will be nothing short of world-class,” she added.
Olopade assured runners, partners and spectators of a top-quality race that would further consolidate the marathon’s international standing and enhance its global profile.
Also speaking at the event, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, commended the organisers for their professionalism and dedication, noting that the marathon has continued to elevate Lagos’ image globally.
“The Lagos State Government remains fully committed to supporting the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon because it continues to put Lagos on the global map in a positive light,” Fatodu said.
“This race is more than a sporting event; it is a celebration of our culture, resilience and capacity to host world-class events. We will continue to provide the enabling environment for it to thrive.”
Adding his voice, Dr Nadeem Khan, President of the International Association of Ultra Runners, described the marathon’s evolution over the years as remarkable.
“The progression I have seen at the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is truly phenomenal. Year after year, the race keeps improving in standards, organisation and global appeal,” Khan said.
The 2026 edition is expected to attract elite athletes from across the world, further reinforcing the marathon’s reputation as one of Africa’s leading road races and a flagship sporting event for Nigeria.
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