A visibly agile Elvis Nsabinla looks at his watch after crossing the finish line
By Hope Nda
The 2024 edition of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope closed the curtains in Buea on Saturday, February 24, with Elvis Nsabinla and Adamu Irine securing triumphant victories in the men and women categories.
Nsabinla, 27, earned a narrow victory after crossing the finish line at the Molyko Omnisport Stadium in 4 hours, 47 minutes, and 4 seconds.
This was just one second before second place winner, 26-year-old Adamu Abdou. Saidou Numu Yerima came third after finishing in 4 hours, and 48 minutes.
It was Nsabinla’s second victory after making his debut win in 2022, where he bypassed five-time champion Godlove Gabsibuin.
Nsabinla, who resisted speaking to journalists, later said during an interview that he won the race narrowly after bypassing his fellow runners just a few meters to the finish line.
Adamu Irine, a four-time relay runner, attempted the Senior Women category for the first time and emerged as champion. She crossed the finish line in 5 hours, 36 minutes and 3 seconds, followed by Tumi Macrina (5 hours, 39 mins, 4 secs) and Ngalim Lizette (5 hours, 52 mins, 3 secs).
The champions bagged home FCFA 10 million each, while the runners-up took FCFA 7 million and the third position left with FCFA 5 million.
“The race was very nice,” remarked Adamu Irine. The mother of three, who hails from Nwa in the Northwest region, coached other women to be steadfast in whatever they do.
“In anything you’re doing in life, you have to put God first. It was our God that protected me to the summit. He took me there safely and I came back safely. Nothing has happened to me, I’m not having any injury,” she said.
Adamu Irene collapsed into the arms of the medical personnel upon arrival
This year’s race attracted over 600 athletes from 10 countries, including Costa Rica, which had an athlete participating for the first time.
Surprisingly, five-time female champion, Tata Carine, was absent from this edition despite initially registering for the international event.
Reports say the 25-year-old, who was crowned champion last year, had an injury that inhibited her participation.
The Northwest Region, again, carried the day in all categories of the race, including the juniors, where both the male and female champions were from that Region.
Kari Seth Bolack, a trainee of five-time champion Godlove Gabsibuin, won the Junior Men category in 1 hour, 47 minutes 5 seconds. He was followed by Yaouba Abdou and Sale Saibou, respectively.
Meanwhile, Layu Nancy Bih triumphed in the Junior Women category, crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 16 minutes, 3 seconds. Trailing her were Chepkoek Eileen and Mendjo Franka, respectively.
Aside from the prize award money, the champions received diverse gifts from the event’s sponsors, Chief among them being Orange Cameroun. Seven-time women’s champion, fondly called Queen of the Mountain, Sarah Etonge, received a recognition award from the Cameroon Athletics Federation.
The event was presided at by the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi. He was accompanied by the President of the Athletics Federation, Emmanuel Motombi Mbome; the Governor of the Southwest Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai; the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Viang Mekala; Mayor of Buea, David Mafany Namange, among several other officials.
Minister Mouelle Kombi lauded the successful organisation of the event, and the ample security efforts that ensured a hitch-free event.
Security was peak at the event. Before the race, the administration had given orders for residents to remove any property, including kiosks and used cars, that were stationed by the roadside. Heavily armed military and police officers conducted regular searches and patrolled the roadside to fish out any object suspected of disrupting the race.
The measures helped to avert a possible recurrence of last year’s tragic triple explosion that injured several athletes and left a woman dead.
