Race Of Hope: Teacher Is New Champion, Etonge Confirms ‘Queen Of The Mountain’ Supremacy

By Walter Wilson Nana & Innocent Mbunwe

Sarah Liengu Etonge, six-time female winner of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, Sunday, February 27, resurfaced after having lost to Catherine Ngwang last year.The Queen of the Mountain, spotting jersey number 416, outclassed 16 other female athletes in five hours, 38 minutes, six seconds. Sunday's victory is Sarah's seventh in 10 years of her participation in the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope.
Meanwhile, Dominic Todgiozem, a teacher in Bapah, a small locality in the Upper Nkam Division, West Province, is this year's winner in the male category.

Dominic, a diminutive athlete, did the race in four hours, 20 minutes, 58 seconds.A volunteer teacher, Todgiozem first shot to stardom in 2001 when he won the crown. After four years in the shadows, he re-emerged this year. In 2004, he came third. Last year's hero, Charles Ngonghapongha, finished second, ten minutes behind Todgiozem. He did the race in four hours, 30 minutes, 8 seconds.

Athlete number 364, Ngonghapongha is two-time winner of the Race of Hope (2003 and 2004). He blamed his in ability to make it this year to some mishaps he encountered in the course of the race. "The race was difficult. I fell on the way. I could not do better," he said.
Ngonghapongha is a farmer from Mmnock-Ngih in Alou Subdivision, Lebialem Division, Southwest Province.

Occupying the third position was Januarius Bongkijung, with jersey number 263. He did the race in four hours, 36 minutes, five seconds.
A small business manager in Jakiri Subdivision in Bui Division, Northwest Province, Bongkijung was attempting the race for the second time.

"This is my second participation. Last year, I was number nine. I am making some progress. The weather was so good. I slept well, got up at the right time and prepared myself for the race," he said.Sarah Etonge, a mother of seven, told The Post, "It is all normal. I do not feel different. Even if I did not win, I would not be worried," she said.

Immaculate Wirngo Ntari, 18, finished second in the female category. A Form Five student in her hometown, Kumbo, Wirngo did the race in five hours, 39 minutes, 13 seconds. After winning gold in the Mount Batie Race a week ago, Wirngo said some mischievous officials in the course of the race obstructed her.

"The race was well organised. But I had some disturbances from fellow athletes. An official at Hut One disturbed me. However, the timely intervention of the military enabled me to get to the summit with ease," she said.A science-oriented student, Wirngo will be writing this year's GCE Ordinary Level examination.

In the third position was little known Jenabou Yuh, with jersey number 449. Yuh did the race in six hours, 32 minutes, 52 seconds. This year was her fourth experience. Yuh is from Ndu Subdivision in the Northwest Province.At the close of the race, Yuh felt great but expressed regret on the mishap that befell last year's heroine, Catherine Ngwang.

"I feel great and with God I will be on next year. I feel bad about the mishap my sister Catherine Ngwang had."According to medical sources, Ngwang developed a malaise about an hour into the race at Upper Farms. She complained of pains in her ribs.

Relay Category

The relay category saw the Northwest relay team stealing the show this year. The three-man team grabbed gold in four hours, 24 minutes, 36 seconds.In the second position was the Armed Forces and Police, FAP1, team. They did it in four hours, 35 minutes, 40 seconds.
The West Province came third, finishing in four hours, 35 minutes, 53 seconds.

The Mount Cameroon relay team of veteran athletes, Reginald Esuka and Pierre Simo, one of Etonge's sons who ran the race, came fourth.
There was frenzy at the Molyko Sports Complex when the youngest athlete, Charles Yufenyuy, 14, crossed the finishing line after seven hours, six minutes, seven seconds. Yufenyuy was given a standing ovation for his courage. He went back home with FCFA 200.000 amongst other encouraging prizes from the audience and organisers of the race.

Based in Street 5, Great Soppo, Buea, Yufenyuy is a Form Three student of Cambridge College of Arts, Sciences and Technology, CCAST, Buea. It was his first attempt. "I look forward to doing better. I did not practise well because of financial difficulties. The climate on the mountain was not good," he said.

Comments

[Evans Meh]

How about Catherine?