They crossed the finish line before the other athletes in their various categories at the end of the 31st edition of the Race of Hope held on and around Mount Cameroon on February 21, 2026.
Athletes from the North West region of Cameroon are in the spotlight following the 31st edition of the Race of Hope, in which 600 athletes participated, including 588 nationals and 22 internationals. Hamadou Bi Ibrahim emerged as the winner in the Senior Men’s category after successfully completing a race from the starting point at the Molyko Stadium in Buea to the finish line via the summit of Mount Cameroon in 4 hours 24 minutes and 42 seconds.
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He finished the race more than ten minutes before the first runner-up. The first Cameroonian to reach the summit of the mountain, he stayed on course until the end of the race. The 38-year-old athlete, from the Afeum-Alah athletics club, Awing in the Mezam division, North West region, said it was an arduous task as the most difficult part for him was descending the mountain, an obstacle he overcame and emerged victorious. The 2026 King of the Race of Hope left with a cash prize of 10 million FCFA. He was closely followed by Gabsibwin Everette W. who finished second with a time of 4 hours, 36 minutes and 28 seconds. Adamu Issa Buba finished with a time of 4 hours, 39 minutes and 39 seconds to secure the position of second runner-up in the men’s category.
In the Senior Women’s category, Wirba Destiny Grace is the winner after delivering a commanding performance, crossing the finish line in 5 hours 22 minutes and 11 seconds. This was despite all the obstacles she encountered before and during the race. She benefited from the expertise and training of her coach, Godlove Gabsibwin, a 5-time champion of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, who supported her throughout her journey.
Beyond the mountain trails, Wirba is a teacher at a public secondary school in the Bui division, North West region. She is also a referee in the Cameroon Guinness Super League, where she balances the whistle with the rigors of elite sports preparation.
Originally from the village of Mbotong in the Bui division, she described the race as difficult but worthwhile. “I took exactly three months to prepare for this race, and this is my second participation in the senior category,” she said. She was closely followed by Njeyang Sydney Bonwi (5:24:08) and Tatah Carine (5:30:18) in a fiercely contested race.
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A remarkable performance in this year’s competition was in the junior women’s category where the top three positions were won by women from the Donga Mantung division of the North West region of Cameroon. These are Chinwen Sandrine Ntumnwi 1st, Nforbi Joséphine Kwasinwi 2nd and Agabsibuin Kindness Njodzok 3rd. A victory that stems from the performance during the Mount Madjang race organized every year in preparation for the Mount Cameroon Race.
In the veterans category, Nyambe Roland and Sarah Etonge secured first place in their respective categories. Nyambe Roland emerged as the winner after delivering a solid performance on the demanding course from the Molyko Omnisport Stadium to Upper Farms and back.
Among the women, Sarah Etonge won the victory in the Female Veterans category, ahead of her competitors as the veteran athletes finished their race at Upper Farms. This is the 2nd time the Queen of the Mountain has won in the veteran category and she is a seven-time winner of the race. The grandmother of 27 grandchildren says she feels like a 14-year-old girl. Although she is 62 years old, she made it clear to the media shortly after the victory that she would continue to show up as long as God allowed.
The 31st edition of the Race of Hope was presided over by the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, who urged the athletes to compete in a spirit of discipline and national pride. This year’s edition was marked by the presentation of several special awards. Notable recipients included the “Queen of the Mountain”, Sarah Etonge and H.M. Albert Njie Bonde of CRTV.
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