THOUSANDS of participants woke up at the crack of dawn to participate in the Penang Youth Run at the Esplanade today.
More than 5,000 participants took part in the 6km run which was organised by Persatuan Kebajikan Iltizam and Actifestyle Concept, with the support of the state government.
State Youth and Sports Committee chairman Soon Lip Chee flagged off the event in front of Penang City Hall at the Esplanade.
The event was held to encourage people to stay healthy and promote togetherness.
The run saw local and foreign participation.
Foreigners from as far as United States, Australia, Bangladesh, Britain, China, Netherlands, the Philippines, Hungary, India and Indonesia took part in the run.
Soon said the run was a platform for youth to stay active and lead a healthy lifestyle.
“I hope it will be an annual event in future,” Soon told the crowd.
Many participants took photos with their beautiful medals after finishing the run.
One of the participants Michael Tan, 45, said he enjoyed the run.
“At first I was reluctant to join, but I came after being persuaded by my wife.
“I feel good after this run,” he said, adding that he was looking forward to future running events.
Story by Edmund Lee