2019 Mt Cameroon Race of Hope: Peace-plant-carrying athlete steals show !

Mt Cameroon race athlete, Jules Nkomnkom, with peace plant calling for the return of peace to Cameroon,whose two English-speaking regions  have not known peace since 2016,with the eruption of the Anglophone  Crisis; Photo Credit: Chris Ambe

By Christopher Ambe 

The 24^th  edition of  Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, last Saturday February 23^th , took place  in Buea, amid very tight security intended to counter threats of life by separatists who did not want  the event  come to fruition, and had called for ghost towns in Fako Division, to disrupt it.

Even as 36-year old Mbatcha Eric and Tatah Carine emerged as the 2019 champions in the senior male and female categories respectively, another athlete, Jules Nkomnkom shot into prominence by introducing a new initiative of peace advocacy.  

Although not a race winner, Nkomnkom, who almost entirely covered his race t-shirt with the Cameroon flag and was carrying a peace plant, became a center of attraction as he returned from the mountain. As he arrived at the Molyko Omni sport Stadium, the plant-carrying athlete excitedly knelt on the finish line, raised his plant and prayed to God for a quick return of peace to Cameroon.

Nkomnkom’s initiative- at this critical moment with the ongoing Anglophone Crisis was greeted by cheers from the crowd, prompting the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, to improvise a special prize of 200,000fcfa for the athlete, which award was baptised the “citizenship and patriotism prize.”

 Apparently because of the secessionists’ threats, only 241 of the initially registered 522 athletes courageously took part in the race in the senior, veteran, minor and relay categories. 

This year, thousands of frightened people  who -everything being equal ,would have jammed the Molyko Omnisport stadium to watch the athletes cross the winning line  rather stayed indoors, preferring to watch the race on TV in the comfort and safety of their homes.

Mbatcha Eric, 36, who emerged this year’s winner in senior male category covered the race’s 38 km in 4h40m and received a cash prize of 10 million Fcfa.

In the women’s category, last year’s winner Tatah Carine  still emerged in the first position, doing the race in 5h 29m and smiled home with a cash prize of 10mFcfa as well.

 Just a few foreign athletes ran this year and none emerged as a winner, unlike last year when a Kenyan, Chelimo Luka kipkemoi, emerged third in the male category and became the first foreigner to emerge among the winners in the Race of Hope’s 23 editions.

Originally, Mt Cameroon race started in 1973, and was only christened as Mt Cameroon Race of Hope in 1996, when the main sponsor Guinness SA withdrew.

Other 2019 winners

In the male category (Senior) Ali Mohammadou, from Bui Division of the  Northwest region, emerged second, doing the race in 4h44m and received a cash prize of seven million Fcfa, while Gabsibuim Godlove, who  was champion last year, came third, bagging home five million Fcfa.

In the female category (senior), Ngalim Lizette who secured the second place, smiled home with seven million Fcfa. The third winner was Ngwaya Yvonne, with a cash prize of Five million.

Other winners and runner-ups received additional prizes from co-sponsors of the race, which was organized by the Cameroon Athletic Federation with support from the Cameroon government.

 Professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, Minister of Sport and Physical Education and Motomby Mbome Emmanuel, President of Cameroon Athletic Federation, co-chaired both the launching ceremony of the race on Friday February 22 and the race, whose course distance of 38km starts from the Molyko stadium to the Summit of Mount Cameroon(towering about 4090m above sea level) and back.

Cameroon's Sports Minister,Narcisse  Mouelle Kombi (middle) with  2019 Mt Cameroon race champions (male senior category)

Launching the race, Prof.Kombi, who was doing it for the first time since becoming Sports Minister noted, “Sport competition always contributes to the spirit of working together.”

Southwest Governor, Bernard Okala Bilai who was chair of the race’s Local organizing Committee, received accolade from the sports minister and the Cameroon Athletic Federation, for his sustained efforts towards the   success of event.

The race was also marked by side events like musical concerts and cultural dances at the Molyko Omni sport Stadium.

When the race started in 1973, John Ekema emerged pioneer champion and did the course, which was at least 8km shorter then (the starting and finishing point was Buea Town and not Molyko)  in 5h47’