Serial Mt. Cameroon Race winner triumphs in Finland Marathon

Three times winner of the Mt. Cameroon Race of Hope, Eric Mbacha on Saturday, August 22, 2020, finished the 42 kilometre course in Finland in exactly 2 hours 24 minutes and 40 seconds.

Rejoicing over winning the Helsinki marathon in the capital of the Northern European country, he sounded “I’m back… I won the Finland Helsinki Marathon this morning in 02:24’40… what next,” the crowned champion on his official Facebook page.

Mbacha Eric left Cameroon following threats on his life. He hails from the restive North West region where a bloody armed conflict has prevailed for almost four years and we are still counting.

Eric Mbacha has been one of the standout names in athleticism in Cameroon due to his unprecedented three times victory in the Mt. Cameroon Race of Hope held annually in the chief town of the Southwest Region, Buea.

As the winner before this year’s edition of the race, Eric unfortunately could not defend his title as he confirms to have received threats from armed groups warning him not to show up in Buea.

“I am currently seeking asylum in Europe. After my victory at the Mt. Cameroon Race last year, I received calls and messages from strangers. They asked me why I took part in the competition when they previously asked the athletes not to run. Let them sleep in the rain, I can’t look for them. Let people kill people in my village and celebrate my victory. Let them know that I escaped from Nkambe and that I would be in Foumban in the Western Region. That I should never dream of returning home and I will never escape their net every time they will come to get me,” he mentioned earlier to datacameroon.com last year.

The athlete has equally moved his family to the French-speaking part of Cameroon as he deemed it safer for them and he equally hopes to bring his wife and children to Finland where he resides now.