Over 14 000 participants in J.P. Morgan Challenge
The Wanderers Club in Illovo was abuzz with action as participants took part in the world’s largest corporate running event.
Over 14 000 people took part in the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge at the Wanderers Club in Illovo. For over four decades, the race has encouraged and celebrated workplace fitness.
Participants in the March 30 event could either walk or run the 5.6km race around Melrose and Birdhaven.
Since 2014, JP Morgan has been donating the proceeds of the corporate challenge to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Laureus is a charitable organisation that supports various sport development programmes around the world and uses the power of sport to bring about social change. Entrants had the wonderful opportunity to run alongside some of South Africa’s foremost sporting greats, Laureus South Africa ambassadors and media personalities.
“We have an incredible list of sports alumni who are getting together, all representing Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in South Africa as ambassadors, essentially assisting Laureus in doing fantastic work by using sport as a power for social change. Our group is so honoured to be a part of making that change happen,” said mountaineer Deshun Deysel.
The funding resources that are received from partnerships such as the JP Morgan Challenge are pooled with other resources, and this year Laureus will invest in various initiatives, including Waves for Changes – a surfing programme that offers a community-based, child-friendly mental health service to under-resourced communities.
Among the other 35 beneficiaries to benefit from this year’s race are an innercity Johannesburg programme called Fight with Insight, which uses boxing to help rehabilitate youth coming from difficult circumstances; a programme that teaches young girls how to play polo; and Zip Zap Circus, which uses physical activity to address domestic violence. These are just a few of the 35 initiatives earmarked to benefit from this year’s race.
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