RunNUS 2022: Clocking the Miles for the Disabled and Special Needs Community

September 28, 2022

IN BRIEF | 10 min read

At RunNUS 2022, more than 1,200 participants banded together to cover a total distance of 13,000 km for a good cause.

More than 1,200 participants came together to cover a distance of 13,000 km at RunNUS 2022, the University’s annual running event which returned in its first-ever hybrid run format this year. Organised by the NUS Students’ Sports Club, RunNUS was first held in 2007 and has since grown to become one of the largest and most anticipated running events for NUS students, staff, alumni and the public.

Mr Richard Chien-Ming Kuppusamy (left), President of the Disabled People’s Association (DPA), and Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang (right), President of Special Olympics Singapore (SOSG), joined participants during the physical run on 17 September held as part of RunNUS 2022.

With the tagline ‘Run for a Cause’, RunNUS aims to encourage a healthy lifestyle through running, while raising awareness and promoting inclusivity for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs (PWDSNs). This year marked RunNUS’ fourth consecutive year in partnership with the Disabled People’s Association (DPA) and Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC), in raising awareness of challenges faced by PWDSNs, and empowering them to lead independent lives.

Minister for Health Mr Ong Ye Kung (front, right) joined NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (front, left) and other running enthusiasts during the physical RunNUS 2022 run held at NUS on 17 September.

In line with the hybrid format this year, runners registered to run virtually or physically in three categories – 3 km, 5 km and 10 km distances. The physical run was held on 17 September at NUS, graced by Guest-of-Honour, Minister for Health Mr Ong Ye Kung, who also joined NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye and other runners in a 3 km run.

The new ‘Run as One’ category, where participants cover a total distance of 25 km in groups of five, was introduced to encourage runners from all walks of life to come together and work towards a common goal.

To mark RunNUS’ 16^th anniversary, this year’s event also saw the introduction of a brand-new ‘Run as One’ category, where participants were required to register in groups of five and run or walk 5 km each to cover a total distance of 25 km per team. The category was introduced to debunk the stereotype of running as a solitary activity, and encourage participants to come together to bond and spur one other towards a common goal. True to its aim of greater inclusivity, 40 teams, which included persons with disabilities, seniors, families, and even children, signed up to participate.

RunNUS 2022’s Project Director Joel Chew (fifth from right) posed for a photo with Health Minister Mr Ong Ye Kung (centre), NUS President Tan Eng Chye (third from right), and other participants and beneficiaries, at the physical RunNUS run held at NUS on 17 September.

Joel Chew, the RunNUS Project Director and a Year 4 student from the College of Design and Engineering, had the opportunity to engage with individuals from the two beneficiaries this year. “Through engaging with them, I realised that Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs are no different from you and I, and everyone should have the opportunity to engage in physical activities that they are drawn to,” he said.

“I hope that participants did not view the event as merely an ordinary run, but kept in mind that we are doing it for a cause,” he added.

To see highlights of RunNUS2022, check out this video by NUS’ Office of Student Affairs.

This story first appeared in NUSNews on 28 September 2022.