Great success for the 6. Obudu International Race and for the African Mountain Running Championships
"
Morethen 150 top runners coming from seven African Nations honored with theirpresence the Sixth edition of the Obudu International Race 2010.
In a beautiful day, EthiopiansAbebe Dinkesa (in the picture) crossed finish line in 42.21, to win the men&rsquo,s race and become AfricanChampion 2010. He won this race for the second time after his victory on 2008,which he ran in 41.45 which is till today record of the race. Second in therace and silver medalist in the African Championships was Fidaku Awash,Ethiopian too: he was the winner of the race in 2009 and in 2007 (and he wasthird in 2008). The best Kenyan John Sompol Mnangat arrived third, takingbronze medal in the African Championships. All the first three finished under43 minutes.
Very close was the African Team Championships 2010 where Uganda(formed by Geoffrey Kusoro, fourth,Macdonard Ondara, fifth, Martin Torotich and Dickson Huru) won goldmedal with 16 points, ahead of Kenya (silver) and Ethiopia (bronze) both with17 points, divided for the placement by the best third scorer. In fourthposition host Country, Nigeria, in front of Cameroon, fifth. Finished with noncomplete team Egypt (one runner of the team had problem with visa and was notable to start) and Tanzania, Nation which was present for the first time to anInternational Mountain Running event." "
In the women race,winner Meselech M. Haileyesus,Ethiopian, (in the picture) fixed the new record of the competition in 48.57, conquering alsoAfrican Champion title. She defeated another Ethiopian, Daska Mamitu, winner ofthe race last year, who arrived second in the race and silver medalist in theAfrican Championships in 49.04, just a few second behind Haileyesus. The racewas completely dominated by Ethiopian runners: six in the first sevenpositions. The better extra-Ethiopian runners, was Mary Xwaymay Naali, Tanzanian,who crossed finish line in sixth place. Ahead Kenyan, Nigerian and Cameroonrunners finished the race.
This is the first time women African MountainRunning Championships was held and probably this was the reason because onlytwo were the full team at the end of the competition: Ethiopia, of course, wongold medal in the team ahead host Country, Nigeria. Kenya (two runner),Cameroon and Tanzania (both one runner) sent incomplete team, but all presentagreed that the female presence will be increase in the future.
Out of Africawas notable the presence of one Israel runner, Haim Malka.
All the Authority attendedto the event starting with the Cross River State&rsquo,s Governor, Senator LiyelImoke, to the WMRA President, Bruno Gozzelino, to the NAF Council member, NavyCaptain Omatseye Nesiama (who represented NAF President) congratulated WilliamArchibong, LOC Chairman, and all his staff for the great success of thisedition of the race. African Athletic Confederation also know very well thiscontinental, another jewel in the African Calendar, and certainly next timemore work will be done in Africa what is mountain running, like discipline ofathletics, fully integrated in this wonderful sport, thanking - for thissituation - IAAF.
William Archibong received applause for his great work notonly this year, but for all he did in the last six years, starting on 2005 whenwith the WMRA past President, Danny Hughes (passed away on February 2009),started in the organisation of this race. ,
During final speech Cross River State&rsquo,s Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke,announced his interest to host in 2014, the 29. WMRA World MountainRunning Championships, in Obudu, supported in this project by the entireSponsor present, all enthusiastic for the performances of the athletes.
NavyCaptain Omatseye Nesiama, representing AFN, took note of this declaration,showing appreciation for this opportunity.
Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President, underlinedthat this possibility could be a fantastic success for mountain running, duethe fact that &ndash, probably - the strongest runners in the world are the Africanathletes: so the organisation in Africa of a WMRA World Mountain RunningChampionships could be a great show for the discipline. Of course, WMRAPresident underlined that many organizational aspects must be improved and time(four years) in advance seems long, but it is really very short. So finally &ldquo,goodluck Nigeria, Cross River State and Obudu for this project&rdquo, were the last wordsof Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President.
In a beautiful day, EthiopiansAbebe Dinkesa (in the picture) crossed finish line in 42.21, to win the men&rsquo,s race and become AfricanChampion 2010. He won this race for the second time after his victory on 2008,which he ran in 41.45 which is till today record of the race. Second in therace and silver medalist in the African Championships was Fidaku Awash,Ethiopian too: he was the winner of the race in 2009 and in 2007 (and he wasthird in 2008). The best Kenyan John Sompol Mnangat arrived third, takingbronze medal in the African Championships. All the first three finished under43 minutes.
Very close was the African Team Championships 2010 where Uganda(formed by Geoffrey Kusoro, fourth,Macdonard Ondara, fifth, Martin Torotich and Dickson Huru) won goldmedal with 16 points, ahead of Kenya (silver) and Ethiopia (bronze) both with17 points, divided for the placement by the best third scorer. In fourthposition host Country, Nigeria, in front of Cameroon, fifth. Finished with noncomplete team Egypt (one runner of the team had problem with visa and was notable to start) and Tanzania, Nation which was present for the first time to anInternational Mountain Running event." "
In the women race,winner Meselech M. Haileyesus,Ethiopian, (in the picture) fixed the new record of the competition in 48.57, conquering alsoAfrican Champion title. She defeated another Ethiopian, Daska Mamitu, winner ofthe race last year, who arrived second in the race and silver medalist in theAfrican Championships in 49.04, just a few second behind Haileyesus. The racewas completely dominated by Ethiopian runners: six in the first sevenpositions. The better extra-Ethiopian runners, was Mary Xwaymay Naali, Tanzanian,who crossed finish line in sixth place. Ahead Kenyan, Nigerian and Cameroonrunners finished the race.
This is the first time women African MountainRunning Championships was held and probably this was the reason because onlytwo were the full team at the end of the competition: Ethiopia, of course, wongold medal in the team ahead host Country, Nigeria. Kenya (two runner),Cameroon and Tanzania (both one runner) sent incomplete team, but all presentagreed that the female presence will be increase in the future.
Out of Africawas notable the presence of one Israel runner, Haim Malka.
William Archibong received applause for his great work notonly this year, but for all he did in the last six years, starting on 2005 whenwith the WMRA past President, Danny Hughes (passed away on February 2009),started in the organisation of this race. ,
During final speech Cross River State&rsquo,s Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke,announced his interest to host in 2014, the 29. WMRA World MountainRunning Championships, in Obudu, supported in this project by the entireSponsor present, all enthusiastic for the performances of the athletes.
N
Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President, underlinedthat this possibility could be a fantastic success for mountain running, duethe fact that &ndash, probably - the strongest runners in the world are the Africanathletes: so the organisation in Africa of a WMRA World Mountain RunningChampionships could be a great show for the discipline. Of course, WMRAPresident underlined that many organizational aspects must be improved and time(four years) in advance seems long, but it is really very short. So finally &ldquo,goodluck Nigeria, Cross River State and Obudu for this project&rdquo, were the last wordsof Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President.
,
By LOC,
Photos by LOC:
1 - Dinkesa,
2 - Haileyesus,
3 - women podium,
4 - men podium.