World Athletics delegates at the 10th edition of the Lagos City Marathon, held on Saturday, February 15, 2025, have praised Yussuf Alli, the General Manager of the Lagos City Marathon, for his exceptional organisational skills.
The World Athletics delegates, including Anna Molisova (Air Quality Project Manager at World Athletics), Olivia Meyonette Sweeney, Nadeem Kamm, and Sadiq Sudan, expressed their admiration for the technical aspects of the race managed by Alli.
They acknowledged that the organisational quality of the marathon was on par with the world’s seven biggest marathons—New York, Berlin, London, Boston, Chicago, Tokyo, and Sydney.
“The technical organisation of the marathon is on par with the best races in the world. We commend Alli and his fantastic team; they did an excellent job,” the delegates stated.
The team also applauded Alli for his strategic decision to start the race early, enabling runners to achieve fast times despite the harsh weather conditions.
“Despite the hot weather, the first runner still crossed the finish line in under 2 hours and 15 minutes. If Alli had organised this race in Berlin or any city with friendlier weather, the winner would probably finish in 2 hours and 2 minutes,” they added.
Widely regarded as the godfather of marathons and road races in Nigeria, Alli initially made his mark in sports as a jumper, sprinter, and footballer. His transition from field events to organising and managing marathon road races has impressed many, including World Athletics Road Running Manager Alessio Punzi.
During his visit to Nigeria, Punzi was amazed that the world-class jumper he knew as Alli was the same person excelling in road race and marathon organisation.
Alli has been a major asset in the planning and organisation of iconic races such as the MTN Marathon, Glo Marathon, We Run Lagos, Aba Marathon, and Obudu Mountain Race, among others. He currently organises and manages the two World Athletics Gold Label races in Nigeria: the Okpekpe 10 Km Road Race and the Lagos City Marathon.
