Medal Hopes Grow Narrow for Cameroon at London Olympics

One of two Cameroonian swimmers at the London 2012 Olympic Games has failed to pick a next round ticket. Edingue Paul Ekane was eliminated yesterday August 2.

Swimming at the Aquatics Centre alongside other African athletes from Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti and Rwanda, the dreadlocked athlete in heat two narrowly missed qualification as he registered 27.87 seconds. Five seconds short of the required 22 seconds to move to the next stage in the 50-metre freestyle event. His departure brings to twenty-six, the number of Cameroonian athletes bashed out of the Games.

Of the seven left, three will go in for qualification tickets today with the first two being in the 100-metre track events. At 10 a.m local time, Adama Idrissa will start his dream of challenging Usain Bolt. The 27-year-old from Garoua in the North Region, who has participated in several international competitions like the IAAF World Championship in 2012, is an athlete to count on.

He will be followed at midday in the same arena (Athletics Olympic Stadium) by Cameroon's athletic veteran, Atangana Delphine. The best performance of the lady with a low hair-cut has been a gold medal at the Afro-Asian Championship. From track events, the Cameroon untiring delegation at the London Olympic Games will under the auspices of the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Adoum Garoua alongside the President of the National Athletics Federation, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, move to the Aquatics Swimming Centre to push the last Cameroonian competitor in the discipline, Guedia Mouafo Jocy.

The day will be rounded-up with a show of strength at the Excel South Arena where Nzesso Ngake Madia, will vie for a medal in weightlifting. Meanwhile, tomorrow Saturday, medal hopeful Thomas Essomba will clash against Paddy Barnes from Ireland. The Belfast lightweight boxer, who received a bye into the last 16, is a bronze medalist at the Beijing Olympics. The fight to start at 13h30 will take place at the Excel South Arena.