Kids’ Athletics Day begins with World Mile Challenge kickoff | Kids Athletics News

World Athletics Member Federations, athletics clubs, and people worldwide are coming together to celebrate Kids’ Athletics Day with the World Mile Challenge. This exciting event is part of World Athletics’ Kids’ Athletics program, which aims to inspire children to be more active, develop their skills, and connect with sport.

This year, in honor of the 70th anniversary of Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile, the focus is on running, jogging, or walking a mile. The goal is to engage 500,000 kids globally to ‘Run the World’ one mile at a time. Participants can track their progress on a global ‘total miles run’ calculator in real-time.

Germany and Bhutan are currently in a tight race on the leaderboard, with other countries joining in on the challenge. In Oxford, England, a one-mile road run was held to celebrate Bannister’s achievement, with specific Kids’ Athletics Day waves for local children.

In China, Kids’ Athletics Day and China Kids’ Athletics Month will kick off in Beijing with a World Mile Challenge activation involving over 600 children from 50 schools. The Chinese Athletics Association is excited for young athletes to showcase their skills and enjoy friendly competition.

Additionally, Member Federations like the Bahamas and India are hosting their own Kids’ Athletics Day events, with a focus on increasing participation in athletics for children. In Kenya, the Kids’ Athletics Refugee Project was launched to keep young people in refugee communities engaged in education through athletics.

World Athletics is encouraging everyone to share their Kids’ Athletics Day celebrations on social media using the hashtags #KidsAthleticsDay and #WorldMileChallenge. The goal is to provide positive experiences in athletics and inspire children to be active for life. The World Mile Challenge runs until May 19, so there’s still time to join in and see how many miles can be collectively run together.