Swim, run for fun with SEA games athletes

SINGAPORE — Sports enthusiasts will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to run and swim alongside some of South-east Asia’s best athletes when the 28th South-east Asian Games is held here from June 5 to 16.

For the first time in the Games’ history, the Nila Swim & Aquathlon and Nila Run will be held in conjunction with the biennial event’s triathlon and marathon events respectively on June 6 and June 7.

Members of the public who sign up for the Nila Swim & Aquathlon will get to experience a modified route of the SEA Games triathlon course. The flag-off for the community events at East Coast Park will take place after the athletes have cleared designated points to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all. The swim event will have participants swimming distances of 200m or 500m and will consist of six categories: Youth boys and girls, intermediate boys and girls, and intermediate men and women.

Those taking part in the aquathlon will swim and run 200m and 1km respectively (youth boys and girls), 500m and 2.5km for the intermediate categories (boys and girls, men and women), while the sprint event for men and women will feature a 750m swim and 5km run.

Running enthusiasts hoping to cheer on Team Singapore marathoners Soh Rui Yong and Ashley Liew can sign up for the Nila Run on June 7. The 10km fun run will be held along part of the Games’ marathon route, which will see elite runners flagging off at the Kallang Practice Track.

The June 6 and 7 weekend will be a busy one for the SEA Games, with a host of sports activities taking place in the Sports Hub (athletics, table tennis, swimming, billiards and snooker, softball, tennis), Singapore Expo (boxing, chinlone, judo, wushu) and East Coast Park (triathlon, sailing).

“The SEA Games is the largest sports festival to take place in Singapore for a while and we want to find an opportunity for everyone to get into the thick of the action,” said Toh Boon Yi, chief of community & corporate outreach, Singapore South-east Asian Games Organising Committee.

“The NILA Run, Swim and Aquathlon allow the amateur sports enthusiasts to run and swim alongside the SEA Games athletes,” said Toh. “It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all participants. We therefore invite all running and swimming enthusiasts to not only participate in the Nila Swim & Aquathlon and Nila Run but also come together to support and cheer on the athletes as they give it their all to do their nation proud.”

Added Soh, who will compete in his first Games marathon at home: “I hope that the participants will come and support us athletes as we run to the finish line. The support from the community means a lot to us, and can make the difference between victory and defeat.” LOW LIN FHOONG