ACTUALITE |
25.02.2004
Mountaineers Brace up for Race of Hope
Some 500 athletes are expected to take part in this year’s race.
In less than a week, Buea, capital of the South West Province will be the hub of sports activities. Athletes from Cameroon and elsewhere will converge in Buea to compete in the ninth edition of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, a race described by some analysts as the biggest sporting event in the country. The race of Hope is usually an occasion for merry making, happy reunions and meeting new people. The young and energetic sportsmen and women, mainly athletes will have to climb up the highest peak in West and Central Africa (4100 metres high), a distance of 42 kilometres. Athletes are presently rehearsing their skills ahead of D-day. Preparations have also intensified in the country to ensure a hitch free event. The second of preparatory meeting took place at the conference hall of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Yaounde yesterday. The meeting was presided at by the Minister of Youth and sports, Bidoung Mkpatt. Present at the meeting was the Secretary of State in charge of Youths, Dennis Oumarou, officials of the Cameroon Athletics federation and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. It was an occasion for each of the committees set up to ensure the success of the event report its activities. According to the technical committee, some 400 local athletes have been selected. 20 foreign athletes will participate. The list of those selected will be made public soon. Similarly, some foreign athletes mostly from France have already arrived in Buea to get used to the climate while the majority are in Limbe. More are still expected from Australia, United States, Rwanda, and Nigeria. The athletes will be lodged in the Mount Cameroon Football Training Centre in Muea, Buea as from Friday February 27 at 4pm. This according to the President of the Cameroon Athletics Federation, Edjoa Augustin, will facilitate medical tests and will permit friendship among athletes. Each athltes is expected to pay a participation fee of 10,000 francs.
For the cultural aspect, a chronographic display has been programmed for the opening ceremony on Saturday. Some 250 youths have been selected to take part in it. As was the case last year, local artists, dance groups and choral groups have been given preference to entertain during the race. The cleaning of the town is currently going on and provisions are also made for porters and hostesses. With regards to security, some 750 security men will be mobilised to endure the safety of lives and property. What will be particular in this year’s race will be the institution of a trophy of the Race of Hope which will be awarded to foreign athletes as souvenir of Cameroon when they get back to their various country. Also a gala night has been programmed for the 29th of February at the residence of the Governor of the South West Province, Ejake Mbonda during which the trophies will be awarded to the winners.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Bidoung Mkpatt, congratulated the members of the committees and called on them to put their hands together to ensure that the race be an exceptional success.
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