Dinkasa
Ethiopia‘s Abebe Dinkasa and Meselech Marley on Saturday became the new champions of the Obudu International Mountain Race, winning the $50,000 cash prizes in both the men‘s and women‘s categories respectively.
Both athletes also led their country in amassing points in the African Nations Mountain Running Championship, a team event.
Dinkasa, who was the 2007 champion, beat compatriot and reigning champion, Finkadu Awash, and Uganda‘s John Mwagat to second and third places respectively.
While no Nigerian was in the individual medal categories, the country came second in the women‘s category of the African challenge behind Ethiopia and also came fourth in the men‘s category behind Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia.
Nine countries including Israel and India were represented in the competition. No European featured at this year‘s edition, a situation the President of the World Mountain Running Association, Bruno Gozzelino, said might have been caused by their tight schedule in the athletics calendar.
He said, ”Another reason could be the significant presence of the East Africans. The race has gained international recognition and the Africans have known about it. This increases the competition.”
The race, which is in its sixth year, was conceived to draw attention to the Obudu Ranch Resort as a tourist centre.
Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke said the next edition would be improved to meet the standard set by the WMRA.
He said, ”A mountain race is expected to be on bush paths.”
Source:http://www.punchng.com
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