The Isle of Man has again been chosen to host a national sporting event for children.
 
INEOS GO Run for Fun visits the Isle of Man on Tuesday 21st July.
 
Primary school pupils will run or walk 2kms at the National Sports Centre, Douglas.
 
It’s hoped a celebrity athlete will start them off and event mascot Dart will be present to be part of the fun.
 
GO Run for Fun, which encourages children into exercise, is backed by sporting heroes including former 60m world champion and world record holder Colin Jackson.
 
With more than 100 events involving 50,000 children held so far, the campaign aims to get 100,000 children running by 2016 – making it the biggest such initiative in the world.
 
GO Run for Fun is the idea of Jim Radcliffe, owner of INEOS, one of the UK’s largest manufacturing companies, who has donated ?1.5 million to establish a charitable foundation to encourage children to run for fun.
 
Jim said: ‘I’m passionate about getting as many children running as possible as early as possible. The idea is simple – to get children out of the house having fun. Running is the basis of so many sports. If children catch the running bug early, they are more likely to stick to it and this can only lead to them having more active and healthy lifestyles.’
 
Gianni Epifani, Sports Development Officer with Manx Sport and Recreation, part of the Department of Education and Children, said: ‘GO Run for Fun happens throughout the UK, Europe and now America and it’s great to be chosen to host an event again.
 
‘Our 10-year Strategy for Sport highlights the importance of getting children involved in sport at an early age for their physical well-being, confidence and development.
 
‘Last year’s event was held in brilliant sunshine and saw more than 1,000 children, resplendent in the event’s colourful pink T-shirts, take to the track.
 
‘Olympic and Commonwealth Games athlete Helen Clitheroe started it off and inspired children, showing off her medals and talking about how she reached the pinnacle of her sport. What better way to get thousands of children active and excited about sport, standing them in good stead for later life.’

For more information on GO Run for Fun, contact Gianni on 688556, email gianni.epifani@gov.im, visit the website www.gorunforfun.com or the GO Run for Fun Facebook page or follow the event on Twitter @_GRFF.
 
Photo - Helen Clitheroe and children who took part in GO Run for Fun at the NSC in 2014.