BY ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI
Godlove Gabsibuin Bobuin and Tatah Carine – both Cameroonians from the North West Region – emerged champions in the male and female categories of the 23rd edition of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope. The race took place Saturday, February 17 in Buea.
Godlove Gabsibuin covered the 38kilomtres race course from the Molyko Omnisport Stadium to the summit of Mount Cameroon and back in 4hours, 30 minutes, 46 seconds, emerging overall champion and first in the male category. He smiled home with a trophy and cash prize of FCFA 10 million.
Gabsibuin emerged champion in 2012, 2013 and 2015. He clinched his fourth title after beating last year’s champion, Fai Elvis Ndzedzeni to the second position.
Kenyan born Chelimo Luka Kipkemoi finished the race on the third position in 4hours, 41 minutes, 43 seconds.
Tatah Carine triumphed in the female category. She narrowly crossed the finish line after racing for 5 hours 26 minutes 59 seconds.
Tatah Carine was closely followed by last year’s champion Ngalim Lisette who crossed the finish line four seconds after. Wirngo Kpuufanla succeeded herself on the third position after doing so in 2017.
All three athletes who mounted the podium in the female category hail from the North West region of Cameroon.
Only 229 athletes run
Out of over 600 athletes who registered to take part in the race, only 229 were retained after the medical tests. Dr. Victor Njie Mbome, South West Regional Delegate for Public Health said the medical check this year was rigorous and gave no room for chances.
Michel Nkolo, the National Technical Director for Athletics told The SUN that a doping test also disqualified some of the athletes.
Out of the 42 women who registered in the senior category, only 25 were retained. Of the 359 men, only 152 sailed through the medical tests. 52 of the 76 junior athletes made it through to race day.
Many are those who argue that the 2018 Race of Hope was run on paper even before the d-day given that over 271 athletes had been disqualified on the eve of the race.
The Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Bidoung Kpwatt Pierre Ismael and the President of the Cameroon Athletics Federation, Emmanuel Motomby Mbome co-chaired the prize-award ceremony at the Molyko Stadium. The Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea, Prof. Horace Ngomo Manga were among the high profile officials at Saturday’s event.
A day earlier at the Molyko Stadium during the launching ceremony, Bidoung, like in his closing speech hailed the sponsors and the organising committee for a “successful race.”
Critics however say the race was “prepared in Yaoundé and run in Buea.
In his welcome speech, the mayor of Buea, Ekema Patrick Esunge, stressed the importance of the race, whose standards, many people say, has faded with the withdrawal of Guinness and the absence of the glories of yesteryears.
The 2018 Mount Cameroon Race of Hope would be remembered as being the most secured race of all times with an intimidating display of Cameroon’s military firepower.