The plan for the fifth edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon sponsored by Kia Motors Nigeria is in top gear with the 2020 Kia Sorento ready to set the pace as the race official lead vehicle.
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]idely revered as a driving force behind the growth and development of sports management in the country and across the globe, Kia has continuously engaged the teeming athletes and sporting fans locally and internationally. The sponsorship of the Lagos Marathon has helped increased the local brand equity of Kia through experiential marketing and penetrate the youth segment.
Slated for Saturday, the 8th of February 2020, the marathon promises to be a very enthralling sporting event.
“At Kia, we’re proud to partner with Access Bank and Nilayo Sports Management on the Lagos Marathon,” said Kia’s CEO, Jacky Hathiramani. “We are especially excited to showcase the 2020 Kia Sorento to the participants and fans of this iconic racing event. Using the sporting event as a CSR touchpoint with the people through our promotion of a healthy lifestyle, the Lagos Marathon will continue to redefine the health/fitness paradigm of the state and the country at large”.
“Marathons are a fantastic event for reaching numerous people during a truly enlivening time. It can be an emotional experience for runners and their spectators, especially given the physical exertion and general excitement. With over 30,000 expected runners in this year’s edition of the marathon, professional and fun runners are billed to have a fun-filled experience. It promises to be a great platform for the runners to savor the moment and will give them a chance to share their experiences with friends and family” Jacky added.
Dubbed as one of Kia’s ‘Best Car for the Money’ in the United States, the Kia Sorento’s desirable high-quality engineering at the best as informed its choice as the lead vehicle for the race and its indeed tremendously gratifying. Running and the automobile industry are not mutually exclusive. There’s a shared value between Kia and the marathon; discipline, endurance, and readiness to perform are the mark of successful runners; they must intelligently make use of their energy reserves. Efficiency is also a fundamental principle for Kia, as reflected in the innovative technologies of the Kia vehicle. A prime example of this is 2020 Kia Sorento, which is employed as the lead car in this year’s running event.
With the grand prize of 2 units of Kia Rio for each female and male runner for the 10km fun runner and $500,000 cash prizes to be won by all runners, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will witness over 30,000 participants, including world-class Nigerian and international athletes, professional and amateur runners, and fitness enthusiasts. The CEO of Nilayo Sports Management Company, Bukola Olopade said “as we have earlier promised, 2020 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon will witness a lot of innovations; one of which is the introduction of the $20,000 bonus for world-class performances.
“We are already bringing in some of the best runners from across the globe and are confident that this unique bonus will further spur them to give their very best,” Olopade added. With astute planning and exemplary execution, Lagos Marathon has elicited the participation of the highest caliber of athletes, as well as huge public interest and attendance.
“Sport has always been an integral part of Kia’s business operation and footprint across the globe. Kia’s association with multiple sports ranging from Tennis, football, athletics, among others, has produced many award-winning sportspersons, helped the development of marginal communities and supported sporting teams, national and international events” said, Marketing Manager, Kia Motors Nigeria, Olawale Jimoh.
Kia’s sponsorship of Nigeria’s premier local race, the Lagos City Marathon are all parts of the company’s effort to promote health and fitness in the communities, the world over.
