Great success for 4. African Mountain Running Championship at Obudu (NGR), dominated by Ethiopians.
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Ethiopian runners took 4 gold medals (plus 1 silver and 2 bronze) at the 4. African Mountain Running Championships 2012, held on 17. November 2012 in Nigeria.
In the medal table also Uganda with 2 silver medals (one individual and one team in the men race) and Nigeria with silver medal in the women team Championships.
Etenesh Diro Neda in the women race and Abebe Dinkesa in the men race won the title of African Champion and also the 8. Obudu International mountain race, receiving 50.000,00 USD for this victory.
Both Ethiopian winners of last edition 2011, Mesfin Hunegnaewai in the men and Yalew Genet in the women did not finished the race.
" "On the new track of the race long 12.6 km., very well prepared under direction of WMRA Council member Erhan Basoglu, with his staff formed by Babac Hasan (Member of EA Mountain Running Commission), Erkan Sakarya and Osman Akyuz) and by 80 Nigerian workers, Abebe Dinkesa won for the third time the race after an exciting battle with Kenyan Ondara MacDonard: at the finish the gap between these two runners was only 30 seconds! 1hour 1 minute and 58 seconds was the time of the winner: 1hour 2 minutes and 28 seconds the time of the second. Third in the race was Kenyan Robert Chemosin, with 1.03:24. As in the past Kenyan Athletics Federation have not sent official entries to the African Championships and for this reason the podium of the Continental Championships was completed by Ugandan Philip Kiplomo (fourth in the race with 1.04:19) and by Ethiopian Atalay Yirsaw Tenegene (fifth in the race with 1.04:50). Dida Bonsa (7. With 1.05:52) and Tebalu Zawude Heyi (9. with 1.06:35) kept victory in the Africam Team Championships with a total of 9 points in front of Uganda with 12 points (together Kiplomo, Martin Moses Kurong was 6. with 1.05:22 and Michael Cherop finished 8. with 1.06:21). Bronze medal for hosting Country Nigeria with 30 points. In front of the NAF President Salomon Ogba, Emmanuel Gyang (11. with 1.11.22), Goyet Gideon (12. with 1.11.28), Gyang Danjuma (14. with 1.14.11), John Bulus Jah (17. with 1.15:23) and Eyo Cletus (18 with 1.16:42) finished race showing the performances of Nigerian runners are increasing in this beautiful discipline of athletics.
Etenesh Diro Neda in the women race of km. 8,6 win the race with time of 1hour and 3 seconds, in front a group of Kenyan runners formed by Rita Jeptoo Bisuenei (second with 1.02:45), Paskalia Kipoech (third with 1.04:02) and Margereta Wangari Muruiki (fourth with 1.05:14). Other runners of the Ethiopian Team finished fifth Godafy Afera Behra (with 1.06:06), sixth Ayalew Wude Yimer (with 1.08:18) and seventh Gebru Azemra Hagos (with 1.10:07). First Nigerian runner Deborak Pam arrived eighth (1.12:49 in front her fellow Janet Jung ninth with 1.13:15. Other Nigerian team member were at the end 17th (Aderonke Olumudi 1.21:46), 19th (Genevive Njoku 1.26.59) and 20th Esther Dimtok 1.27:51). Three Kenyan and four Cameroonian runners were out of the African Championships always for the same procedural reason regarding entry.
54 men (47 finished) and 36 women (27 finished) run in the 8th Obudu International Mountain Race, coming from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon and, of course, host Country, Nigeria.
LOC have invited this year all the WMRA Council members to attend at the competition in order to be able to consider all the organisational and technical aspect. For this reason besides Erhan Basoglu, also Galia Puhaleva (BUL - WMRA Council member) attended to the event, together , WMRA President Bruno Gozzelino: report will be prepared for WMRA Council on next January in order to take final decision for 30. WMRA World Mountain Running Championships, but since now WMRA is confident that the event will be staged in Nigeria.
At the final prize ceremony were present a lot of Nigerian VIP starting since HE Efiok Cobham, Deputy Governor of Cross River State, and Salomon Ogba, NAF President.
William Archibong, LOC Chairman, and all persons present were very satisfied about the exit of this edition of the competition and gave all the insurance for working in the next future for organising a wonderful Championships in 2014, starting since next edition of the race that was fixed on Saturday, November 30th, 2013.
News by Bruno Gozzelino (WMRA President)
In the medal table also Uganda with 2 silver medals (one individual and one team in the men race) and Nigeria with silver medal in the women team Championships.
Etenesh Diro Neda in the women race and Abebe Dinkesa in the men race won the title of African Champion and also the 8. Obudu International mountain race, receiving 50.000,00 USD for this victory.
Both Ethiopian winners of last edition 2011, Mesfin Hunegnaewai in the men and Yalew Genet in the women did not finished the race.
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54 men (47 finished) and 36 women (27 finished) run in the 8th Obudu International Mountain Race, coming from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon and, of course, host Country, Nigeria.
LOC have invited this year all the WMRA Council members to attend at the competition in order to be able to consider all the organisational and technical aspect. For this reason besides Erhan Basoglu, also Galia Puhaleva (BUL - WMRA Council member) attended to the event, together , WMRA President Bruno Gozzelino: report will be prepared for WMRA Council on next January in order to take final decision for 30. WMRA World Mountain Running Championships, but since now WMRA is confident that the event will be staged in Nigeria.
At the final prize ceremony were present a lot of Nigerian VIP starting since HE Efiok Cobham, Deputy Governor of Cross River State, and Salomon Ogba, NAF President.
William Archibong, LOC Chairman, and all persons present were very satisfied about the exit of this edition of the competition and gave all the insurance for working in the next future for organising a wonderful Championships in 2014, starting since next edition of the race that was fixed on Saturday, November 30th, 2013.
News by Bruno Gozzelino (WMRA President)
Photos source by Galia Puhaleva and by Erhan Basoglu (WMRA Council members)
On front page:
- Men Team African podium with in front HE Efiok Cobham /Deputy Governor of Cross River State), Salomon Ogba (NAF President) and Bruno Gozzelino (WMRA President).
On second page:
-battle for the victory in men race,
- women race,
- Women Team Afrrican podium,
- ,NAF and WMRA Officials: (from lef to right) Osman Akyuz, ,Hasan Babac, Erhan Basoglu, ,Bruno Gozzelino, Salomon Ogba, Galia Puhaleva, Omatseye Nesiama, Erkan Sakarya. , ,