FITNESS AND FUN AT 20TH S'PORE BAY RUN

The Marina Bay area bustled with activity on 4 Sep as over 70,000 participants of the SAFRA Singapore Bay Run (SSBR) and Army Half Marathon (AHM) spent their Sunday morning on scenic runs, bonding games and carnival festivities.

Themed Celebrating 20 years of Fitness, Bonding & Fun, this year's race marked the 20th anniversary of the SSBR & AHM, the largest mass running event on the local sports calendar.

Guest-of-Honour Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, who flagged off the 5km Fun Run, joined the participants in a leisure jog together with Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister of State for Defence and Education and President of SAFRA.

Noting that the event had drawn a significant turnout this year, Mr Wong said: "This is an excellent platform to bring our NSmen (Operationally Ready National Servicemen) and their families and friends together to come exercise and enjoy the city view, as the routes are planned along 20 iconic landmarks to commemorate 20 years of the run."

He added that jogging past these historical and newly developed sites gave the runners a sense of purpose in fulfilling their National Service commitment by showing them "what you are defending and fighting for".

Other race categories included the 21km AHM, 10km Race and the inaugural Dads for Life 800m Father and Child Challenge. Participants of these races were flagged off by Chief of Army Major-General (MG) Ravinder Singh, Mr Wong and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Defence and National Development and Deputy President of SAFRA, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, respectively. Both MG Singh and Dr Maliki also took part in the runs that they flagged off.

For the first time, the event saw young participants running side-by-side with their fathers in the newly introduced Dads for Life 800m Father and Child Challenge. Initiated as part of SAFRA's recent partnership with the Dads for Life movement, the non-competitive run attracted 614 father-and-child pairs, making it the largest father-and-child race in the Singapore Book of Records.

Dr Maliki, who completed the race with his 13-year-old son Adli Mifzal, said: "When I saw many fathers with children of different age groups - some running together, some carrying their kids as they ran - and the smiles on their faces, it gave me the hope that (SAFRA) can actually do a lot more for fathers to realise that there is a role for them to play (in their children's development)."

He commented that the collaboration between SAFRA and Dads for Life in organising father-child activities was "an excellent one", as it provided NSmen with opportunities to not only meet up with their unit mates, but bond with their families as well.

Launched in 2009, the Dads for Life national movement aims to inspire fathers to become life-long positive influencers in their children's lives.

For Mr Md Shariff Abdullah and his 11-year old daughter Nurathirah, participating in the 800m run served a greater meaning. The 43-year-old motivational speaker was born without a left leg below the knee and relies on a Flex-Run carbon fibre artificial limb for his daily movements.

"I wanted to motivate others... My daughter and I hope to show people that with a positive mindset and determination, you can achieve whatever you desire," said the sports enthusiast, who also joined the 21km AHM.

Participants of the 21km AHM were treated to a colourful spectacle of lighted cones and rainbow-hued LED strip-lights as they ran along the 350m stretch between Bay East at Gardens by the Bay and Marina Barrage. Numerous 1.5m-tall kites also illuminated the sky, adding vibrancy to the sights around the area before the break of dawn.

The running routes, which featured iconic city sights such as the Singapore Flyer, Lau Pat Sat and Civilian War Memorial, saw participants running from the start point at the Esplanade Bridge and along Shenton Way and Raffles Avenue towards the end point at the Padang. A line-up of 20 street-side performances, which included Daiko drums and fire twirlers, kept their spirits high.

Lieutenant (NS) Colin Tung, a 23-year-old student who participated in the AHM as part of a team from the 2nd People's Defence Force, said: "During our weekly training sessions at East Coast Park leading to the marathon, we got to know and make new friends with the Regulars and NSFs (Full-time National Servicemen) within the same unit.

"It is good that NSmen like us can build our friendship further through the AHM. Even after (reaching our) ORD (Operationally-Ready Date) a few years ago, we still come together every year to train for this run."