Tuesday, 28 July 2009

Discovery 702 Walk the Talk broke new records in terms of numbers with over 2500 dogs and 50 000 walkers taking to the streets of Emmarentia on Sunday, and hundreds of thousands raised for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. People from all walks of life gathered to take part in Joburg’s favourite race, including government officials, local celebrities, sporting and media personalities.
Legendary cricketer, Michael Vaughan flew into South Africa last week to take part in the Walk. Vaughan, a member of the Laureus Global Friend and Ambassador’ programme, was joined by South African Laureus Friends and Ambassadors’ Deshun Deysel, Baby Jake Matlala, Lucas Radebe, John Robbie and Cynthia Tshaka who all walked in the 8km event.

“The Walk the Talk is such a great fund-raising idea, and I was thrilled to have been a part of it,” said Vaughan, who was ranked the best batsman in the world following the 2002/3 Ashes series, in which he scored 633 runs, including three centuries. Other prominent walkers included Ali Bacher, an administrator of the United Cricket Board of SA, the cast of SABC 3’s Isidingo, Minister of Human Settlements Tokyo Sexwale and Health MEC Dorothy Mahlangu.

Guests were able to bring along picnic baskets and blankets and joined the fun-filled live entertainment, including performances from Garth Taylor, Bongani Nxumalo and South African Police Services Band.
“The whole day was just amazing, from the thousands who walked and helped us raise money for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, to the entertainment and public support for the event,” said Pheladi Gwangwa, Talk Radio 702 station manager.

“The Discovery 702 Walk the Talk is a family event that creates a sense of community. Over the years, it has grown in popularity with Joburgers. The increasing number of participants and general interest in the event each year bears testimony to that.” Talk Radio 702 partnered with leading financial services provider, Discovery, for the fourth year in a row to bring the Discovery 702 Walk the Talk to Joburg’s streets. The partnership is a logical one, as the event epitomises good health and community building, and so ties in with Discovery’s commitment to encouraging healthy, active lifestyles.

“We’re thrilled to be able to contribute to the wellbeing of Joburgers, by promoting the health benefits of walking. Added to that, we are also promoting the important work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation through the proceeds of the race,” said Discovery’s Chief Marketing Officer, Hylton Kallner. The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation was once again the official charity of this year’s event and received a R10 donation for every 5km and 8km completed by competitors. Discovery is the Country Patron of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Trust in South Africa. A cheque for R400 000 was presented to The Johannesburg Cubs Project, one of 70 projects Laureus supports worldwide.The Johannesburg Cubs Project, in partnership with the Gauteng Cricket Board Development Programme, was set up to establish a multi-racial and cross-cultural cricket-training programme for schoolchildren in Johannesburg and surrounding areas.

The programme was initiated in 2007 by concerned parents of Cubs members. Disadvantaged children are chosen from among 2 500 schoolchildren from Kagiso, Soweto, Lenasia and Alexandra. Privileged children are recruited via parents, and are assisted with integration and social awareness by project representatives. The Club helps expose children to high-level coaching from former South African international cricketer Darryl Cullinan and other experienced coaches, excellent playing facilities and training techniques, as well as opportunities to win scholarships and bursaries to attend prominent schools. Other benefits include access to international travel, exposure to supportive coaching and parenting infrastructure, and interaction with children of different races, culture, class and beliefs.

In addition to this, an important focus of the programme is the development of various social skills to complement the cricket. These include training in general social skills, etiquette and ethics; budgeting and finances; project planning; personal administration and first aid. The money raised today will go towards recruiting more children from disadvantaged communities. For the first time, organisers capped the Walk to 50 000 to ensure it would be enjoyable to everyone. On route, Discovery gave away 10 tons of fresh fruit as part of their healthy food campaign and walkers were encouraged to fill their City of Joburg sponsored water bottles at the water points.

According to event organiser, Tanya Harford, a large number of first-time walkers enrolled this year. “Last year we saw the same walkers who had participated in the 5km the previous year coming back to walk in the 8km, with the same scenario in the 15km and 30km timed events. This year, however, we noticed a wealth of new walkers enrolling. It’s evident that the event continues to attract new people.”

Harford continued to say that entries came in ‘fast and furious’ this year, with Race Office receiving 50 000 entries in just a few weeks. The official timed walks – the 30km marathon and 15km half marathon – saw 1400 and 8500 entries respectively, while the 5km and 8km fun walks saw a total of 42 000 walkers. “We also received a very impressive number of doggie entries,” said Harford. “Today I saw dogs of every shape and size. Some were pushed in prams, some were held in the arms of their owners, and some did what they came to do and walked the event! It was so great to see everyone having such fun with their pets.”

A number of disabled people and members of various charities took part in today’s 5km walk. Nicholas Garwood, 11, of Randpark Ridge and his dad Kevin meandered through the route together, with Nicholas, a cerebral palsy sufferer, being pushed in a special ‘trailer jogger’, which was flown in from Canada in time for the Walk. Residents of Kibbutz Laubner, a home for the Jewish handicapped in Midrand, also took to the streets, along with members of Discovery Eagles, a wheelchair basketball team and Chris Isaacs, a blind walker who takes part in the event every year, to name just a few.

This ninth successful Walk the Talk was hosted in conjunction with event partner, the City of Joburg, in an effort to strengthen its position as a world-class African City and showcase its ability to stage sporting events of this stature, just in time for 2010.

Back to Press Centre