Mesfin Alemu, winner of the 2011 Obudu Mountain Race (© Organisers)
Cross River State, Nigeria - Ethiopians dominated both the men’s and women’s races at the 7th edition of the Obudu International Mountain Race in Cross River State, Nigeria, on Monday (28).
For the third year running, Ethiopian men won the race, but this time it was through 22-year-old Mesfin Hunegnaew Alemu who brushed aside the challenge of 135 other male runners and crossed the finishing line in a record time of 41:50. His compatriots Atsedy Tsegay and Azmeraw Beke came second and third with the time of 42:12 and 42:30 respectively.
In the women’s category the Ethiopians also dominated winning the race with another Ethiopian second, with a Kenyan sneaking in for third to break up the podium sweep. It was 18-year-old Genet Ayalew who took the victory ahead of 34 others, winning in 48:45 while Ayelewu Wuda Yimer placed in 49:10, more that 40 seconds clear of Kenyan Margaret Wangari who was third.
The cash prize for the runners in the men’s and women’s were the same: US $50,000 for the winners, $20,000 for second and $9000 for third.
Ugandan Geofrey Kosuro, who was fourth in the mens’s race, and Dung Janet of Nigeria who was seventh, captured the African Mountain Running titles.
Kenyan Ondara Macdonald, fifth overall, was second in the continental race with compatriot Thomas Ayeko third. Five time European champion, Ahmet Arslan of Turkey, finished in 18th place, after having arrived at the venue just few hours before the race after a long journey. Uganda men team took gold medal in front of Eritrea and Nigeria, with Egypt finishing fourth. Ethiopia, who swept the men’s podium, was not entered in the African championship. In the women’s continental race, only Nigeria was officially entered.
But at Obudu this year, not only the athletes were in first row, but also the Local Organising Committee, with its Chairman William Archibong; and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, withVice President Engr. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau, General Secretary Maria Wophil, and Council member Gloria Obajimi. The dignitaries, backed by the support of the national political authories and from the Governor of Cross River State Lyonel Imoke, had officially announced their candidature to organize the 30th World Mountain Running Championships in 2014 on the occasion of the tenth edition of the race.
Bruno Gozzelino (WMRA) for the IAAF