BBUEA, Cameroon – With the 30th edition of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope approaching, athletes are making last-minute preparations for the gruelling 38km challenge up and down Mount Cameroon on Saturday, February 22.
Among them are two determined former champions, Ngalim Lisette and Kitan Mildred, who have shared their motivation and readiness ahead of the big day. Ngalim Lisette is no stranger to the race. She first claimed victory in 2014, and then in 2017. Over the years, her passion for the sport has remained strong.
For her, running is not just about winning, it’s a way of staying healthy and motivated. “What motivated me this year is, at least, when you are an athlete, when you run, it hardly hurts before you have some certain types of sickness in you,” Lisette said, highlighting the health benefits of endurance running.
Beyond the physical benefits, she also acknowledges the financial support that comes with participating in the race. “Also, the encouragement of the money that the government is offering us, at least, helps us in our daily lives. It helps.”
With race day just around the corner, Lisette is confident in her preparation and determined to perform at her best. She said: “Now I’m ready, very, very ready. I’m prepared for it. I’ll make it, by the grace of God.”
For 2021 champion Kitan Mildred, the journey to the Race of Hope 2025 has been one of perseverance and faith. After competing in previous editions, she remains steadfast in her belief that God has already chosen the winner.
“Like last year, I said, pray that God should keep me alive. If God keeps me alive, I will continue to work until the time of the race,” Mildred shared.
With the final hours leading up to the race, she expresses her gratitude and trust in divine destiny. “Since He kept me alive, and He gave me the wisdom during training, and finally, I’m left with a day to the race, I give God the praise, no matter what.”
For Mildred, victory is already determined, and all that remains is to run the race and give God the glory. She said: “No matter how many people are going to be competing, He has already crowned the winner. So, the winner will only run, and God will receive the glory.”
This year over 600 athletes are said to challenge the “Chariot of the gods” plagued with steep slopes, rough volcanic terrain, and unpredictable weather. The Mount Cameroon Race of Hope remains a true test of strength, endurance, and determination. Both Lisette and Mildred, like many others, will be hoping to etch their names in history and prove their resilience in one of Africa’s toughest endurance challenges.
y Boris Esono Nwenfor
