Africans Ready For Obudu Ranch Race

Africa’s long distance runners are poised to continue where they left off last year come 28th of this month when the fifth edition of the 2 kilometre Obudu International Mountain Race flags off in Obudu, Cross Rivers State.
Ethiopia’s Abebe Dinkesa emerged winner of the men’s race last year, succeeding another Ethiopian, Habtamu Fikadu Awash. The inaugural edition of the race in 2005 was dominated by Europeans and South Americans, temporarily proving right the reigning world mountain running grand prix champion, Jonathan Wyatt’s theory that “the African runners’ long flowing style is not naturally suited to running up and down hills as they are on flat ground.”
The Africans have since proved that they have the mental strength and physical toughness to run up the hills by completely dominating the event thereafter, save for last year when they lost the women’s crown to Austria’s Andrea Mayr, but are favoured once again to cart home the $50,000 top prize for both men and women.
Now topping the list of contenders for the men’s title is the defending champion, Abebe Dinkesa.
He will be challenged by such in form athletes as Wilson Chemweno of Kenya, who won the Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships about two months ago.