Kidathons catch them young to inculcate a culture of fitness

Chennai Kidathon, organised last month, had around 2,000 kids, aged between three years and 15, participate. “When we held the Dusk to Dawn run, which had participants come along with their families, we saw several children join in and that inspired us to start an exclusive event for kids,” says Neville J Bilimoria, the person behind the event. 

The categories were from 400m to 2,000m and every participant received a medal and a certificate at the end of their respective races. “Every participant here is treated like a winner and they are rewarded for their effort. This helps in building their confidence and also encourages them to pursue physical activities,” he adds. 

Parents use the opportunity to understand their children better and inculcate the spirit of sportsmanship. Eswari Andiappan, whose three-year-old daughter, Sadana, participated in the 400 m in Kidathon, says, “I hate to see my children wasting time in front of the TV and with gadgets. I make sure that they go out and play a sport. When they go, I join them too. Also, it’s not about winning or losing. If a fellow participant has fallen or got injured, my child must go and help her. It’s not just about standing on the podium to claim a prize.” 

Such events also help kids become socially aware. Tatva Kidathon, to be organised on October 2, is open to kids aged three years and above, and will bring together children living in OMR and surrounding areas. 

“It is an initiative of the Tatva School to support the Mathura Foundation, a charitable organisation working towards rehabilitating physically disabled children. Here too, every child will get a medal and a certificate,” says one of the organisers. 

They are also particular about taking care of all the safety aspects, with volunteers on the ready to assist participants. 

For kids, it’s an opportunity to learn some life lessons. S Ankit, a young runner, says, “I feel like stopping mid-way when I go for a run, but then I see others around me, and that pushes me to work harder.”