Standard Chartered Marathon 2010 - SAVs escorts Wheelies

Report by Jon Wong

Following the recent sucess in marshalling for the SAFRA Quadthlon event, the Skate Assist Volunteers were in action once again at the Standard Chartered Marathon event on 5 December. More volunteers were involved this time round, as race escorts for the Wheelchair Competitive Race by wheelchair athletes.

We had to wake up at the wee hours of the morning to  report at the Padang at 6am, as the wheelchair event flagged off at 7.30am, 15 minutes ahead of the 10km runners' flag off time.

 


Briefing by Chun Yang, Vice Chairman of SAV

 

Amongst the athletes was Singapore's Top Wheelchair Athelete, Dr William Tan. For some of the athletes, it was their first ever competitive race, and they proved to be up for the challenge to complete the gruelling 7.5km route, which takes them past scenic locations like the Esplanade, Marina Bay Sands and The Formula 1 Hangar near the Singapore Flyer. For the first time in years, a female athlete took part in the race too.

 


The only female wheelchair athelete

 

Dr Tan took pole position, finishing the race at a timing slightly short of 10 minutes, and that won him a whopping prize of $2000 and a champion medal. From the start of the race, he never looked back and sped through the course at top speed, with sheer determination and strength.

 


Dr William Tan, the champion

 

Apart from the athletes, it was also the first for some of the volunteers, to be involved in an event of this scale, and putting their skating skills to good use. Merv, Meiching and Ester, 3 of our recent recruits, savoured every moment of the event, and the touching moments when they reach the finishing line with the atheletes.

 


Escorts cheering the athlete on

 

The greatest challenge was to clear the path for the wheelchair atheletes amongst the running participants, and fortunately, no injuries were reported.

 


Escorts and Wheelies

 

For our efforts in the event, we were rewarded each with a goodie bag and a limited Standard Chartered Marathon Flashpay Card with $20 value.

 


Skate Assist Volunteers

 

Many thanks to these following volunteers:
Choi, Chun Yang, Isaac, Moon, Steven, Leonard, Vincent, Philip, Jessica, Merv, Mei Ching, Esther, Timothy, Jack, Chloe, Siew Ying, Trier, Albert, Ivan, Faussi, Chong Boon, Eric, Andrew, Simon, Eugene, Zhen Yang, Ruth & Kenny.