Making Race of Hope A Springboard!

The 30th edition of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope has come and gone in the South West Regional capital, Buea, with much to take home. The organisers are certainly beating their chests for work almost well done. Obviously so as organising such a competition in a crisis-hit zone, where the reign of terror has been imposed on the innocent population for years now and having the magnitude of popular participation that Buea 2025 had, calls for celebration.
Although keen observers are reportedly complaining about minor details, like making available on time a detailed list of athletes to ease identification and better communication, that would need to be carefully handled prior to the kick-off of the next edition, the organisation of the just-ended Race of Hope visibly lived up to its billing. The unfortunate incidents of 2024 where brutish people detonated an explosive device during the race and the sad demise of a Kenyan athlete after the competition were made to really belong to history. Salutatory indeed!
In fact, one of the valuable innovations of the 30th edition is the decision by the Health Committee to carry out an aptitude test of the athletes in the junior, senior and veteran categories. Stringently ensuring that anyone discovered with any pathology that did not guarantee an athlete’s safety to challenge the chariot of the gods was disqualified, was a stitch in time. Again, anti-doping test was made obligatory for all the athletes before they embarked on the race course. After the race was ended, all the winners in all the categories were also screened to ensure they did not dope in the course of the race, before they took home their prizes. Praiseworthy moves that assured the security of athletes and credibility of the race.
As the organisers celebrate the successful event, and hopefully strategising on how to make the next one even better, especially with an announced increase in prize money, the close to 700 athletes from about eleven countries who braved all the odds to move up and down Mount Fako, the highest mountain in West Africa, have different stories to tell depending on the ambitions they had prior to the race and what they fetched at term. While those who won the prizes put up for grasp are savouring them, others who stumbled on the doorsteps of glory are no doubt gnashing their teeth and of course, preparing to bounce back in ensuing editions. Obviously, provided that they embrace the life lesson of getting up each time one falters.
Another reason for celebration especially by Cameroonians and the athletics federation is the fact that nationals bagged home all the prices in the senior male, female and junior likewise veteran and relay categories. In fact, besides the home advantage which is a non-negligible aspect in any sports discipline, the athletes showed proof of endurance to outsmart others from elsewhere. In effect, the topography from where the winners live and train and the fact that most of them are into strenuous activities to make ends meet played in their favour.
And this is what the country’s sports movement, and athletics federation in particular, should capitalise on to open up the local heroes to international competitions where good prizes are won and better glory harvested. Respecting the yearly tradition of organising the Race of Hope is good, but ensuring that the competition doesn’t serve as an end to itself, but a means to an end is laudable.  Many are definitely wondering aloud as to what has become of champions of the previous editions of the race. The dust they raised after lifting the trophies quickly settled as soon as they went back to their villages and there is no guarantee that the money they bagged home is still available to make them live and let others live. Logically, the force of nature overwhelmed many of them and the only story the local heroes can tell in their respective villages is how they went to Buea and conquered. This is not inspiring at all!
Having an international experience and even glory would have made some of them better than they are today. This might not be any fault of theirs. They knew only Buea and certainly thought it ...