By Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports
The SportCares Foundation relay team took part in a friendly road relay with teams from 41 SAR. The SportCares runners finished eighth out of 17 teams with a timing of 42 minutes and 11 seconds. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)
Kranji Camp II, Thursday, May 15, 2014 — The SportCares Foundation relay team clocked a timing of 42 minutes and 11 seconds to finish 8th out of 17 teams in a friendly road relay against soldiers from the 41st Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment (41SAR) of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Each team of 13 runners had to run 911 metres each in the baton relay.
This is the first time that SportCares Foundation is partnering up with the SAF, providing the young runners with a rare opportunity to compete on the grounds of an army camp. The event was also held as a prelude to the inaugural Armour Road Relay.
SportCares was set up by the Sport Singapore (SportSG) to drive social good through sport and seeks to benefit the lives of underprivileged youth through customized programmes and workshops. It is one of the recommendations of Vision 2030.
Mr Toh Boon Yi, Chief of Strategic Development and Marketing Group of SportSG, was present to kick-start the race. “I think SportCares provided a very useful platform for the soldiers of 41SAR to train with. The key message here is that sports is a powerful force for social good. Through this occasion, you have soldiers training together with our SportCares runners, and I think it sends a very strong message about the value of sports.”
“For the SportCares runners, I think it is very good that they can practise alongside older friends. They can learn a lot about discipline, and how to go about training and preparing for a race. For the soldiers, it is good for them to interact with somebody who is not like them. They can forge friendships with somebody they don’t see day in, day out, and along the way play the role of a big brother and mentor to the young kids,” added Mr Toh, who was also a former commanding officer of 41SAR.
Lieutenant Colonel Jason See, commanding officer of 41SAR, was all praises for the joint road relay. “I think it’s fantastic. We share a lot of values in common. For Sportcares, it is about using sports as a force for social good. Similarly, for us in the unit, we believe that sports is a motivating force to unite the soldiers together, as well as to encourage teamwork among all of them.”
For 13-year-old An’dik, this was her first time participating in a competitive running event. “I feel nervous, because I’m not used to the environment. I felt quite left out, because I was the only girl running against the army boys. But the boys were cheering me on when I was running,” said the Outram Secondary student, who recently joined the SportCares relay team.
Md Zulkhairi, 13, was the first runner for the SportCares relay team. “I’m quite happy that we finished 8th overall. When we were running with the soldiers, we can learn from them and understand our mistakes. I think the most important thing is about making new friends,” said the Bishan Park Secondary student.
For 21-year-old full-time national serviceman Cassidy Tan, it was a rare sight to see the SportCares runners compete in a military camp. “Some of the kids run faster than us, faster than me. Since this is an army camp, we don’t usually have these kind of activities, so I think it’s a very good experience for them (SportCares) and for us.”
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