A FORMER world champion athlete has joined fellow Olympic medalists to launch a running event coming to Worcester this weekend.
Colin Jackson, winner of a silver medal in the 110m hurdles at the 1988 Olympic Games, launched Go Dad Run, a series of 5K and 10K runs for men and boys that take place around the UK to raise awareness of and funds for Prostate Cancer UK.
On Saturday (June 11) Go Dad Run will take place at Worcester Racecourse where Colin and Derek Redmond, the former World Championship 4×400 relay gold medallist, will be on hand to set the runners off on the morning.
Go Dad Run was created four years ago by Colin after two of his uncles developed the illness and only Tony, who talked about his problems and sought treatment, survived.
When he discovered that one in eight men in the UK will get prostate cancer and one in four men from an African-Caribbean background, Colin decided to do something about it and founded Go Dad Run with a small pilot event in Wales in 2013.
This year’s launch, which was held at the Grange at St Paul’s Hotel in London, was also attended by many other Go Dad Run ambassadors including presenter Sian Lloyd, Colin’s actress sister Suzanne Packer, singer-songwriter Dan Olsen and Royal Ballet Soloist and ‘Dancing with the Stars’ judge Fernando Montano.
Colin said: “It has been wonderful to see some Olympic legends supporting us and meeting many of our runners who are living with prostate cancer.
“My big ambition for Go Dad Run is not just that we raise money for Prostate Cancer UK, but that we also get men thinking and talking about their health and especially to start understanding how devastating prostate cancer can be and why they should learn about the risk groups, symptoms and PSA tests.
“I’m looking forward being at Worcester Racecourse on June 11 to set the runners off and hope that lots of men and boys will register and run the 5k or 10k, pull on their big blue Y fronts and help us to make it another great event.”
As part of their entry fee the registered runners in the 5K and 10K will all receive chip timing, a PUMA t-shirt, Big Yellow Bag, a medal and a pair of big blue Y-fronts to wear over their shorts as they run and Colin is hoping to get a great atmosphere and lots of men along on the day.
Full details about Go Dad Run and how to get involved can be found at www.godadrun.co.uk.
