Five African countries will be fielding teams for the fifth African Nations Mountain Running Champion-ships which will hold alongside the  Obudu international mountain race on  Saturday, November 23 at the Obudu Ranch Resort in Obudu,Cross River state.

Revealing this in Obudu yesterday was Sir William Archibong, chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the race after the first day of the on-the-spot assessment of  facilities for this year’s event by the committee.

Archibong revealed that Ethiopia,whose men and women have dominated the individual  events at the race, Kenya,Cameroun ,Nigeria and Uganda have confirmed their participation in the championships.

’The LOC is delighted to announce that five African countries have confirmed their participation in the fifth African mountain running championships which will hold Nov 23 alongside the individual Obudu mountain race on Saturday, November 23 at the Obudu Ranch  Resort,’said Archibong who further revealed that Ethiopia will be coming to defend the men and women’s team titles they won last year.

’Ethiopia have been an ever present at the championships and have confirmed that they will be around to defend the titles they won last year at the fourth edition of the  championships,’’he said adding that the Ethiopians will be led by men and women  individual event defending champions,Abebe Dinkesa who will be gunning for a record
fourth consecutive individual title and Etenesh Diro Neda who won the women’s individual title.

’Of course Uganda will offer the Ethiopians a big fight for the men’s title and the  accompanying cash prizes.The Ugandans,like the Ethiopians have won the men’s team title  twice and will be banking on the form of Philip Kiplimo,the reigning World Mountain  Running Association (WMRA) championships champions,’he said.
Archibong also revealed that the Championship draws a prize money of $15,000 for first team position, $10,000 for second and $7,500 for third team position for both men and women.
Meanwhile,a former head coach of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria,Armelia Edet has

hailed Cross River state Governor Liyel Imoke for the continued sponsorship of the

annual race and the championships.
Edet,who was decorated with the prestigious IAAF Veteran Pin Award in 2009 at the IAAF

World Championships in Berlin,Germany says the race has re-awakened Nigeria’s interest

in long distance,road and mountain running events.She acknowledged that the country has

failed to develop these events despite the fact that there are enough talents and the

natural environment to train and be as good as the East Africans who have become the

undisputed champions in these races.