located at Obudu plateau. Obudu is one of the finest and most
magnificent tourist destinations in the world today. Deep in the
tropical rain forest of Cross River State, presents an area of idyllic
tranquility and an enchanting scenery. Obudu play Host to the Obudu
mountain Race that holds on the month of Novermber Anually.
Many four former winners of the Obudu international mountain race have
confirmed their participation in this year's race which holds on 8th
Novermber at the Obudu Mountain Resort in Obudu, Cross River state.
Top on the list of the former champions who are staging a return is
Ethiopia's triple winners, Abebe Dinkesa who will be gunning for an
historic fourth title at the race tagged Mountain Race for the Stars
to celebrate the 10th year of hosting Africa's first ever mountain
race championships. He won the men's title and the accompanying
$50,000 top prize in 2008, 2010 and 2012.
Also staging a return to challenge for the top prize is the men's
defending champion, Kenya's Philemon Rono who ran 1:00:43, the fastest
time by any man at the race since the course changed from 11.25km to
13km to win last year. Rono will also be hoping to become the first
man to successfully defend the men's title at the championship.
Dinkesa holds the former course record and the fastest winning time at
41.45 seconds which he ran in winning his first title in 2008.
Another man staging a return is Ethiopia's Hunegnaw Mesfin who won the
men's title in 2011 with 41:50, the second fastest winning time of the
old course.
Another Ethiopian, Genet Yalew is the only former winner making a
return for th top prize and honour of being crowned Obudu mountain
race queen. Yalew will be aiming for a hat-trick of titles after
winning in 2011 and 2013. She won her first title in a record setting
fashion, shattering the 48:57 course record set by her compatriot,
Meselech Melkamu a year earlier.She repeated as winners two years
later on an expanded course with a new course record of 58:55.
Like Rono for men, Yalew will also be aiming to become the first woman
in the history of the race to successfully defend the women's title.
Meanwhile the vice-chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the
race, Partrick Ugbe has revealed that full doping control will be
carried out during the race. Ugbe disclosed that provision has been
made by the committee for a full doping control for the race which has
become one of the most anticipated events in the calendar of the world
mountain running association.
'The LOC will cooperate with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
official in Nigeria who will customarily conduct the exercise.This is
an annual ritual carried out at the race because of its status.
The Obudu mountain race has the largest total prize-money available of
any mountain race and is known as "the world's richest mountain race".
So we have to conform with international practice that
random,in-competition doping control must be carried out'', he said.
He further revealed that the tests that will be carried out will
include the use of prohibited substances like all anabolic agents
which includes but not limited to stanozolol, tetrahydrogestrinone,
methandienone, testosterone and prostanozol as well as some growth
hormones.
'Apart from the prohibited substances, prohibited methods like blood
doping including the use of autologous, homologous or heterologous
blood or red blood cell products of any origin will also be tested',
he said.
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