Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe ​shattered the world record to become ⁠the first man to run the ​marathon in under two hours, followed ​by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also breached the two-hour barrier on Sunday.

“To then break the ​record of the largest number of ​finishers in the history of marathons underlines the ‌inspirational ⁠nature of the London Marathon. We are incredibly proud to have set a new Guinness World Record,” said ​Hugh Brasher, ​CEO of ⁠London Marathon Events.

In the women’s race, three women ran ​under two hours and 16 ​minutes ⁠in a single race for the first time ever, as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa ⁠defended ​her title by shattering ​her own women ‘s-only world record

-Reuters

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 Diamond League – Final – Zurich – Zurich, Switzerland – August 27, 2025 Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell in action during the men’s shot put final REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

The ruling, announced on Thursday by World Athletics’ Nationality Review Panel, affects athletes from multiple countries and was based on findings that the applications were part of a coordinated, government-backed effort to bolster Türkiye’s international competitiveness ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Rather than a single case, Ofili’s situation forms part of a wider group that includes five Kenyan athletes — among them former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei — and four Jamaicans, including Olympic medallists Roje Stona and Rajindra Campbell. Russian heptathlete Sophia Yakushina was also among those denied eligibility.

Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Men’s Discus Throw Victory Ceremony – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 08, 2024. Gold medallist Roje Stona of Jamaica celebrates on the podium. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigie

London Marathon 2024 – Women’s Elite Press Conference – London, Britain – April 18, 2024 Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei poses for a photograph ahead of the London Marathon REUTERS/Peter Cziborra/File Photo 

World Athletics stated that approving the applications would undermine key principles guiding the transfer of allegiance, particularly the need to maintain the integrity and credibility of national representation in global competitions.

“The panel found that the applications formed part of a coordinated recruitment strategy… to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts,” the governing body said.

For Nigeria, the decision is being viewed not as an isolated intervention but as part of a wider effort to protect countries that invest in developing athletes from grassroots to elite level, only to risk losing them to wealthier nations offering financial incentives.

Officials note that the rejection highlights growing concerns about the commercialisation of national allegiance in sport, where athletes are increasingly targeted through structured programmes designed to fast-track international success.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has previously warned against such trends, stressing that nationality transfers must reflect genuine national ties rather than transactional arrangements.

The regulations governing athlete transfers were tightened in 2019 to prevent abuse and ensure fairness, following increasing cases of athletes switching allegiance under financially driven circumstances.

Although the applications were rejected, World Athletics clarified that the affected athletes — including Ofili — remain eligible to compete in one-day meetings, road races and club competitions, as well as live and train in Türkiye. However, they are barred from representing the country at major championships such as the Olympic Games and World Championships.

The decision is widely seen as a significant moment for global athletics, reinforcing the principle that national representation should be built on identity and development rather than financial inducement.

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World Athletics, through its Nationality Review Panel, on Thursday turned down Ofili’s request to represent the European nation, citing concerns over the integrity of international competitions and the growing trend of athlete recruitment driven by financial incentives.

Reacting to the decision, Ogba described the ruling as a victory for fairness and a strong message in defence of developing nations that invest heavily in nurturing athletic talent.

“This is justice not just for Nigeria but for many developing countries that work tirelessly to groom athletes, only for them to be lured away by wealthier nations,” Ogba said.

The panel, in its report, noted that granting the transfer would undermine key principles, including safeguarding the credibility of national representation and discouraging the systematic recruitment of foreign athletes for global competitions.

Ofili’s case was one of 11 applications submitted by the Turkish Athletics Federation, which World Athletics linked to a broader government-backed strategy to strengthen its team ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Despite having obtained Turkish citizenship and signing a lucrative club contract, Ofili remains ineligible to compete for Türkiye in major competitions such as the World Championships and the Olympic Games.

Ogba singled out World Athletics President Sebastian Coe for praise, describing him as a consistent ally of developing countries.

“How can a country nurture an athlete from grassroots level to elite status, only for another nation that showed no prior interest to come with financial inducements and take them away? It is unfair and must be discouraged,” he said.

The former AFN boss also advised athletes to remain focused and avoid making career decisions driven solely by short-term financial gains. He cited global stars such as Usain Bolt, Julien Alfred, and Eliud Kipchoge, who achieved success while representing their home countries.

Ogba further warned athletes against external pressures from managers and associates, urging them to consider the long-term implications of switching nationality.

“Many athletes who left Nigeria often return after retirement seeking support. The reality is that your home country offers opportunities beyond competition — as coaches, administrators, and mentors,” he added.

He concluded by urging Nigerian athletes to remain loyal and committed, stressing that while opportunities abroad may appear attractive, long-term security and identity remain tied to their country of origin.

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The marathon will remain part of the World Championships in 2027 and 2029, but from 2030 it will have its own championship event.

From 2031, the ​marathon will not be contested at the World Championships.

The new World Marathon Championship will ​be held annually, with men and ​women competing in alternate years, matching the current ‌frequency ⁠of the World Championships marathon.

World Athletics has opened talks with Athens to host the inaugural marathon event.

“We ​are delighted ​to be ⁠exploring the possibility of a standalone World Marathon Championships ​with Athens, the place where ​this ⁠iconic discipline was born,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said.

The annual Road ⁠Running ​Championships will continue ​as a separate event under the new roadmap.

-Reuters

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Ofili announced in September on her Instagram account, followed by more than 40,000 people, that she was beginning “a new chapter representing Türkiye,” signalling her intention to change sporting nationality after years of representing the Nigeria national athletics team.

“I moved to Türkiye to save my career from officials,” the U.S.-based sprinter later wrote, explaining that her decision was influenced by frustrations with Nigeria’s sporting administration.

However, nearly six months after the announcement, Ofili has yet to compete for her new country, and the process appears stalled.

A senior official of the National Sports Commission told reporters in February that Ofili is still considered a Nigerian athlete and cannot immediately switch allegiance.

“She is still our athlete,” the official said, adding that Ofili was among the elite athletes who received training scholarships from the commission last year.

According to the official, if the sprinter intends to compete for another country, she may have to wait until September 2028, potentially ruling out a change before the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Career Frustrations

Ofili’s rapid rise in athletics has been accompanied by several controversies that have strained her relationship with Nigeria’s sporting authorities.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, she was among Nigerian athletes barred from competing after failing to meet required out-of-competition doping control tests.

Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, she also revealed she had been excluded from the women’s 100-metre event despite qualifying.

“It is with great sadness that I have just been informed that I will not be competing in the 100-metre dash at these Games,” she wrote at the time. “I qualified, but those in charge did not register me. I have worked for four years to earn this opportunity.”

Debate Over Loyalty

The controversy has sparked debate within Nigeria’s athletics community.

Former African sprint queen Mary Onyali recently said she rejected offers from European countries to compete under their flags during her career because of her loyalty to Nigeria.

Ofili responded by suggesting the circumstances were different, noting that Onyali “was never denied the opportunity to compete in any competition after working hard to qualify.”

Speaking through her coach, Dennis Shaver, Ofili also dismissed speculation that financial incentives were the main motivation for her proposed move.

“I am a woman, and I have a short-term job,” she said. “This is the ideal time to make the most of the time I have left in my career.”

Türkiye’s Recruitment Drive

Ofili’s case comes amid an aggressive talent recruitment drive by Türkiye aimed at strengthening its athletics programme ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics.

Following a disappointing performance at the Paris Games, where the country finished 64th in the medal table without a gold medal, Turkish authorities launched a strategy to recruit top athletes from abroad.

According to athletics coordinator Önder Özbilen, several international athletes have already agreed to compete for Türkiye.

Among them are four Jamaican athletes, including Olympic discus champion Roje Stona, as well as five Kenyan runners, including former marathon world-record holder Brigid Kosgei.

Whether Ofili will ultimately join them remains uncertain.

For now, the Port Harcourt-born sprinter remains officially tied to Nigeria, leaving unresolved the question of which flag she might carry on the road to the Los Angeles Olympics.

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The decision follows a probe by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which determined that the real ages of Birke Haylom, Melknat Wudu and Medina Eisa could not be conclusively verified when the records were set between 2023 and 2024.

The ruling means several outstanding under-20 performances by the trio will no longer stand as official world junior records.

Among the affected marks are Haylom’s world under-20 bests in the mile (4:17.13), indoor 1,500 metres (3:58.43) and outdoor 5,000 metres (14:23.71). Wudu’s junior indoor 3,000 metres record of 8:32.34 has also been invalidated, while Eisa’s 5,000 metres time of 14:21.89—previously recognised as the world junior best—has been struck from the record books.

Investigators confirmed that Eisa’s actual birth date is 17 October 2002, rather than 3 January 2005 as previously documented. The finding means she was 22 when she won gold in the 5,000 metres at the 2024 World Under-20 Championships, well above the age limit for the junior category.

The AIU also concluded that Haylom was older than indicated in her official documents, although details of the discrepancy were not publicly disclosed. In Wudu’s case, unresolved doubts about her birth date prevented the ratification of her record.

Under championship rules, athletes competing in under-20 events must be 19 or younger during the competition year and must provide verifiable documentation confirming their eligibility.

While the athletes’ performances remain valid as competition results, they cannot be recognised as junior records.

The investigation forms part of a wider age-verification campaign by the AIU in East African athletics ahead of the next 2026 World Under-20 Championships in the United States.

So far, World Athletics has not announced disciplinary sanctions against the athletes, although AIU regulations allow bans of between two and four years in proven cases of age manipulation.

The removal of the five records marks a significant setback for performances that had previously placed the runners among the most promising young talents in global distance running.

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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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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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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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The Africa Running Conference (WAARC) 2026 is entering its decisive phase in Lagos, with global athletics leaders intensifying discussions on how to reposition road running and mass participation across the continent.

Held under the theme “Reshaping Running and Mass Participation in Africa: Embracing the Global Community,” the conference has drawn administrators, business leaders, federation heads and international experts committed to redefining Africa’s running ecosystem.

The Director General of Nigeria’s National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, delivered the opening remarks, setting the tone for strategic collaboration between government, federations and private sector stakeholders. The President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), Ahmed Kalkaba Malboum, addressed delegates, while Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, sent in remarks via video message, underscoring the global importance of Africa’s growing road running movement.

Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu formally declared the conference open, reaffirming Lagos’ ambition to remain a continental hub for sports tourism and mass participation events.

Global Perspectives and Strategic Conversations

The conference featured a series of high-level presentations. Dr Nadeem Khan, President of the International Association of Ultrarunners, opened technical discussions with a presentation on “Road Running in Africa: A Global Perspective.” He was followed by Jackson Tuwei, Vice President of World Athletics and President of Kenya Athletics, who examined the “Growth and Development of Running in Africa.”

Business and commercial sustainability dominated the first panel discussion on “Sponsorship & Marketing: The Business Behind Road Running & Mass Participation in Africa.” The panel featured Fama Abdalla Awale, Adille J. Sumariwalla, Bukola Olopade and Ameachi Okobi of Access Corporation, moderated by Chris Robb of Mass Participation World.

Innocent Ike, Group Managing Director/CEO of Access Holding PLC, delivered a talk on creating sustainable public engagement through road running, while former marathon world record holder and IOC Member Paul Tergat spoke on changing mindsets and building active communities across Africa.

Bernard Bwalya, President of Zambia Athletics, addressed grassroots integration in his presentation titled “Federation Meets Community for Grassroots Development.”

Shaping the Future of African Running

A second panel session focused on transforming running culture and expanding participation, featuring Yetunde Olopade of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, John Peter of the Kigali International Peace Marathon, Tayo Popoola of the Lagos Women Run, and Elias Ng’andu Mpondela, moderated by Nadeem Khan.

Chris Robb later outlined a forward-looking strategy in his presentation on “Mass Participation Vision 2050,” while Kristian Midtgaard of Roster Athletics highlighted the growing role of digitalisation in race organisation and athlete engagement.

Tourism and economic impact also came under review, with Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, alongside Aku Aghazu, Vice President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, examining the effects of road running on tourism development.

The final panel on the “Future of Road Running in Africa” brought together Aku Aghazu, Alessio Punzi of World Athletics, TCHANILE-SALIFOU Falilatou of Togolese Athletics and Paul Tergat, again moderated by Nadeem Khan.

Chief Tonobok Okowa, President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, delivered the vote of thanks, while Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, formally declared the conference closed.

The conference proceedings are being streamed live by Style Digital Production, allowing stakeholders across the continent and beyond to follow deliberations expected to influence the next phase of road running development in Africa. The YouTube channel for the livestreaming is: https://youtube.com/@styledigitalproduction-hq7zg?si=dZZHW70eZGWHxTi2

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