THE MOUNT CAMEROON RACE OF HOPE 2022

Good day to all Steemians worldwide. Today I will be talking about a very important event which takes place in my country every year. This event has been a tradition for almost 3 decades now in my country 🇨🇲, and it is part of our culture and pride as Cameroonians. I am talking about the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope. I had the opportunity to watch it Live, and I'll be giving us the full experience.

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The Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, is an annual foot race which takes place in Cameroon 🇨🇲 every year. The race is in its 27th edition this year. The race usually takes place between the months of January and February. The race is open to anyone who is able to pass the medical examinations, and it draws athletes from countries worldwide, especially the Kenyans. The race begins at the Molyko stadium, Athletes then have to race to the summit of the mountain, and then back to the stadium. The race is done in 2 categories, that is men and women, and the first place in each category usually receives about 10,000,000 XAF (About 54,000 STEEM). However all athletes who participate are compensated. The race is indeed a big deal in my country.

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MOUNT CAMEROON

Mount Cameroon, is an active volcanic mountain found in the South West Region of Cameroon.

Image source

^{View of Mount Cameroon}

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Standing at an elevation of 4,100 metres above sea level, the summit of Mount Cameroon is the highest point in Central and West Africa, and this also makes it one of the largest active volcanos on the continent. The first volcanic activity from the mountain was recorded by Hanno the Carthaginian in 5 BC, and the most recent eruption happened in 2012. The mountain has become a symbol of Cameroon and her people, and the race has made the mountain even more popular worldwide. The Mountain is a major tourist attraction as it is rich is wildlife (monkeys and elephants), vegetation, it has rare species of birds, impressive rock formations, as well as a national park. It is also a perfect destination for those who love hiking. I encourage you to come visit.

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BACK TO THE RACE

Prior to the race, all athletes had to go through some medical tests. Only the athletes who passed this test were allowed for the race. Over 525 athletes took part in this year's race.
The race took place on the 19 February 2022. It all began at about 7am with the singing of the National Anthem, and then a speech read by the minister of sports and physical education. This was followed by a display of different cultural dances.

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^{Spectators at the Molyko Stadium}

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At about 8:45am the race started and the athletes began running towards the mountain. Now there wasn't much to do, so we just sat at the stadium waiting for the athletes to return. This particular race was special, especially for those from the North West Region of the country. For the past ten years, we've been totally dominating the race, especially in the men's category, so bragging rights were at stake. Would the winners still emerge from our region ? Or would another region step up?

Finally after waiting for about 3 hours, we began seeing the athletes coming back into the stadium to cross the finish line. From the looks on their faces, you could tell they were tired. This race is a test of skill, stamina and endurance, and these athletes had just pushed their bodies to the limit. Some athletes collapsed immediately after crossing the finish line, while some gave up along the way due to the physical nature of the race.

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Finally, the first person entered the stadium and crosses the finish line to the cheers of the crowd gathered at the Molyko Stadium. After about 30 minutes, the first woman too crosses the finished line. The crowd went completely crazy with applauds and cheers, as well as the playing of traditional Instruments.

The first 3 from each category were awarded their medals and cheques by the Minister as well as the Governor. These individuals have pasted their names in history as legends of the Mountain Race. For me, I was very excited because all winners cane from the North West Region. We still hold the bragging rights 😉. And so it ended well.

Mount Cameroon is definitely a place to be. The race was exciting, and I'll very much love to participate in this race someday. With a year of practice, maybe I'll be fit enough 😅. Anyways, this edition ended well, and we're looking forward to the next edition which will happen in February 2023. You can begin making arrangements to participate in next year's race, I'd very much love to see you on the mountain someday....

Thanks for reading 👊
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