The two athletes who both hail from the Bui Division of the North West Region, came through with the distinctions after posting an authoritative performance in the 30th edition of the international mountain competition which was held in Buea in the South West Region last Saturday.
Usheni Hassan and Ngalim Lisette are champions of the 30th edition of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope. The two athletes secured the crown after distinguishing themselves during the 2025 edition of the international mountain competition. The event took place in Buea in the South West Region last Saturday February 22. This was in the presence of the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Prof Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, the Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai and the president of the Cameroon Athletics Federation, FECATHLETICS, Emmanuel Motomby Mbome.
Usheni Hassan enters hall of fame
Usheni Hassan is a first-time winner in the Mt Cameroon Race of Hope competition. He bagged the 2025 crown after covering the 38km-long race from the Molyko Stadium to the mountain top and back, in four hours, 40 minutes and 9 seconds. Ali Muhammadu who won the race last year, finished second this term. The runner who also hails from the North West Region completed the race as runner up after doing the distance in four hours, 42 minutes and 34 seconds. Abdu Amadu ranked third after completing the race within four hours, 45 minutes and six seconds.
Ushenis’ fruit of hard work, resilience
Usheni Hassan’s success in the 2025 race comes after close to 10 years of unsuccessful attempt. According to the athlete, he first participated in the competition in 2017 and had continuously been featuring in the event despite repeatedly missing out on the podium over the years. He said he was motivated and inspired in this year’s race by last year’s champion, Ali Muhammadu. The 2025 champion told pressmen in Buea that he also registered to train with a professional club after the 2024 race where he further enhanced his skills and get ample ready for the 2025 challenge. “I started participating in 2017 and achieved positive results.
This victory is a direct result of my hard work. I reflected on my performance last year after emerging at the ninth position and got to train with a club, which enabled me to be champion today,” the youthful athlete said. Ushenni Hassan promised to use the resources that he will generate from the 2025 race to boost his businesses back home in the North West Region as he also sets sights on retaining his crown during the 31st edition of the competition in February next year. “I am a business man buying and reselling cattle, so I will use this money to invest in my business. I will continue with my training hoping to emerge winner again next year,” the athlete detailed.
Ngalim Lisette bags third crown
Ngalim Lisette came through as champion in the senior women’s category after doing the race in five hours, 24 minutes and 41 seconds. This is the third time the athlete who hails from the North West Region is winning the race. She had earlier emerged as the competition’s overall winner in 2014 and 2017. The 37-year-old finished this year’s race ahead of Ngeyang Sidone who did the race in five hours, 30 minutes and 19 seconds and Tumi Macrina who was third after covering the race in five hours, 32 minutes and five seconds. “I am the happiest person today. I had no problem climbing, but encountered challenges when descending the rough spots. I trained better this year and God blessed me and so I am expecting to do better next year,” Ngalim said in an interview after the race.
Junior categories
Silver Telma, Chinwem Sandrine and Nformi Josephine were the star ladies in the junior categories. Silver Telma came first in the category after covering the race in the age-group category in two hours, 10 minutes and 36 seconds followed by Chinwem Sandrine and Nformi Josephine on the second and third positions respectively.
In the boys’ category, Sali Saibu, Zakaiyahu Ibrahim and Kari Set Bolack stole the show. Sali Saibu came first after covering the race in within one hour, 44 minutes and nine seconds. Zakaiyahu Ibrahim ranked second after finishing the race just 10 seconds behind the winner. Ibrahim did the event in one hour, 44 minutes and 55 seconds. Kari Set Bolack finished third after doing the race in one hour, 45 minutes and one second, barely one minute slower than the first runner up.
Queen Sarah Liengu Etonge wins Veterans Category
The Queen of the Mountain, Sarah Liengu Etonge won the women’s series of the veterans’ category. The 58-year-old who has won the senior women’s category some seven times, secured the victory in the 2025 race after a dominant performance during last Saturday’s competition.
Balance sheet
Per figures from the Cameroon Athletics Federation, FECATHLETICS, a total of 669 athletes registered to compete in the 2025 race across different editions, up from the 516 that featured in the event last year. Among the 669, 305 of them featured in the senior male event while 73 competed in the female category. In the junior events, 56 females competed alongside 114 males. The veteran series saw the participation of 26 women and 95 males. Sixteen of the overall 669 that registered for the 2025 competition were disqualified following a health screening and anti-doping tests conducted on the athletes before the race.
