GETACTIVE! SINGAPORE WELCOMES WARRIORS BOTH YOUNG AND OLD DURING SENTOSA COURSE

Last Saturday morning, over 500 Singaporeans took a typical day at the beach to a whole new level by challenging themselves on the Warrior Challenge obstacle course, which saw them crawling on the sand, flipping tyres, and carrying bags of rice along Sentosa’s Palawan Beach.

Organised by Outdoor Adventures as a part of the GetActive! Singapore lineup, the event was brought to fruition thanks to funding and support from the Active Enabler programme.

“The event first had to be National Day-themed, and it needed to be inclusive. So with that in mind, we thought that we wanted to design the Warrior Challenge such that it’s something for young and old,” said Sharon Ang, assistant director of Outdoor Adventures.

Partipants had to carry sandbags, rice sacks, and even bricks over the course, as the challenge intended to mimic what the coolies and samsui women had to do during the nation’s past.

SportCares representatives in a height obstacle of the Warriors Challenge. Photo: SportSG

“We thought about our pioneer generation as the warriors, and they went through a tough time to develop Singapore. A lot of Singaporeans don’t know what a coolie does, or what a samsui woman does, so we actually worked it in,” Sharon explained.

The race was open to three categories: Best friends, family, and kids. Some stations were scaled down, consisting of smaller rice sacks and lighter tyres, in order to accommodate younger participants.

articipants racing along Palawan Beach, Sentosa in the Warriors Challenge. Photo: SportSG

Applauding the effort that went into planning the course, participant Leon Liang, found the race challenging, but not in a way that would exclude beginners.

“It was challenging, but not such that other people or kids cannot take part. It’s simple enough to understand, so I think it was pretty good!” said the 27-year-old, who was part of one of the winning teams in the “Best Friends” category, open to those aged 13 and above.

While the activity was termed a ‘challenge’, most who took part in the competition also saw it as an opportunity to just head outdoors and have fun. “I think it’s great that we had the obstacle course, and at the side we had carnival games for families, and also fringe activities. That’s really fun, to get everyone together,” Leon’s team-mate Christel Fung shared.

Participants attempting to clear an obstacle at the Warriors Challenge. Photo: SportSG

With the Warrior Challenge being a one-of-a-kind activity for the whole family, 40-year-old Chai Ooy Mei signed up as she was on keen on providing her children with a new experience.

When asked about his favourite part of the day, her 9-year-old son Tee Yi Xuan, said: “I liked that we got to do this activity as a family, and got sweaty!”

Besides the Warrior Challenge, participants were also free to take part in the Team Challenge Hourglass, which consisted of a 24-metre high tower comprising of different obstacles that required a group of participants to work as a team in order to ascend.

Youths from Sport Singapore philanthropic arm SportCares were given the opportunity to test themselves in this unique team challenge, and 19-year-old Dinie Irfan was one such participant, scaling the tower with his three friends.

“Doing this allows me and my team to learn what teamwork is, to support each other,” he said.

GETACTIVE! SINGAPORE WELCOMES WARRIORS BOTH YOUNG AND OLD DURING SENTOSA COURSE

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