Community & Charities
Rehabilitation Services
Jockey Club supports iRun 2019 special marathon to promote social inclusion
13/01/2019
A record-breaking turnout of nearly 4,200 athletes with intellectual disabilities and their pair-up runners competed in the 2019 iRun – The Hong Kong Jockey Club Special Marathon on 13 January, as a means of promoting social inclusion.
Funded by the Club’s Charities Trust since 2012, the iRun is organised by Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs). This year’s iRun took place on the Central and Western District Promenade.
While a majority of participants were from Hong Kong, many joined the event from the Mainland, Macau or Taiwan.
Each disabled runner was paired with a volunteer to compete in either a 3 km or 5.6 km challenge race.
Pre-race training sessions were organised for the pair-up partners to get to know each other and build closer rapport.
Some 80 members of the Club’s CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team made their own personal contribution to the iRun’s success by serving as pair-up runners or on-site helpers.
From last year onwards, the Trust donation has enabled several new elements to be added, among them an “Inclusion in School” Programme under which secondary students are invited to be pair-up runners as a way of fostering the concept of inclusion in schools; and the addition of Green Marathon elements to promote environment-friendly messages. In addition, the winning teams in different categories are now sponsored to join overseas marathons and further broaden their horizons.
As part of the funding support, TWGHs has also established the iRunners’ Club which brings together those with intellectual disabilities and others interested in running, thereby helping to improve people’s physical fitness and promote an inclusive society through participation in sport. Qualified coaching experts provide regular training for the participants in different parts of Hong Kong.
