Video – Photo Gallery – YMCA Strong Kids Duathlon Brings More Than 115 Young Athletes to Cobourg

Pete Fisher
1 hour ago
• Categories: Community, Local, Photo Gallery

Centennial Pool was filled with energy, encouragement and plenty of smiles Thursday as more than 115 young athletes took part in the 18th annual YMCA Strong Kids Duathlon.

The family-friendly event, held August 20, challenged children to swim and run while bringing families, friends and neighbours together to cheer them across the finish line.

But organizers were quick to point out that the event isn’t really about winning.

Eunice Kirkpatrick, President and CEO of YMCA Northumberland, said the focus is on participation, having fun and encouraging children to stay active.

“It’s not really a race race,” Kirkpatrick said. “Come in first, come in last. So what? It’s the enjoyment of it. It’s a thrill of it, and it’s being active.”

Children ranging in age from about two to 14 took part, with distances adjusted according to age and skill level.

“They’ve done their swim, they’ve done their run and everybody’s just having a blast,” Kirkpatrick said.

Each participant received a ribbon recognizing their effort, with no other awards presented.

Kirkpatrick said that approach is at the heart of the Strong Kids Duathlon.

“Every child participates and every child is a winner,” she said. “We encourage them just to participate and have some good fun and enjoy the sunshine and all the spirit that goes with it.”

The event was led by Jessica Fraser Thomas and Rod Simpson, with support from numerous sponsors and volunteers.

Kirkpatrick said seeing the children take part year after year is what keeps the event going.

“Obviously the kids. It’s inspirational to see the youth taking part in this,” she said. “It’s just the smiles on everybody’s faces.”

Raising money for local programs

This year’s event also has an ambitious fundraising target of $10,000, double last year’s $5,000 goal.

The money raised will support two important YMCA Northumberland initiatives.

The first is the Mothers of Newborns Program, a free program providing local mothers and their babies with support, connection, health and wellness resources during a critical first year.

The program currently serves more than 60 per cent of new mothers in Northumberland and has supported more than 2,500 mothers and infants since it began in 2017.

The second area is essential camp initiatives, including programming and infrastructure improvements designed to allow more children to participate in camp in a safe and supportive environment.

One planned project is the construction of an outdoor pavilion at the Campbellford YMCA.

Kirkpatrick thanked the sponsors, volunteers, families and, most importantly, the young athletes who made the 18th annual event possible.

With children running toward the finish line to cheers from the crowd, the message of the Strong Kids Duathlon was clear: every child who took part was already a winner.