New Commonwealth mountain running champion, Wilson Chemweno of Kenya, has been confirmed for the 5th Obudu Ranch International Mountain race in Obudu, Cross River, Nigeria.
Last week, Chemweno came into prominence in his first-ever mountain championships, winning the maiden Commonwealth Mountain and Ultra Distance Running Championships in Keswick, United Kingdom, finishing 40 seconds ahead of the favourite - world champion Jonathan Wyatt of New Zealand and Kris Swanson of Canada.
He achieved a rare double taking both the men’s Uphill race title and the Up and Down race events.
Chemweno coach Michael Mitei says Obudu Mountain race needs quality athletes as Chemwerno and Pamela Bundotich, who won a bronze medal in up and downhill events and was fourth in the uphill event at the Commonwealth championships, to enhance its reputation.
Obudu Race LOC's spokesperson, Patrick Ugbe said the race is open to the best mountain runners all over the world and that Chemwerno's inclusion will only confirm it as the best in the world.
Ugbe said: "The general talk in mountain running across the globe is that the Obudu international mountain race is the only mountain race where the assemblage of world top runners is guaranteed.
"We have had virtually all the best, every year, converge on Obudu in the last four years and this year's edition even promises to be the best as all African mountain runners will be available."
The event, which will also include the first ever African mountain running championships, holds on November 28.