Celebs + athletes?

Run as one...that's the tagline for this year's Kuala Lumpur International Marathon taking place on June 27. What better way for the fragmented and highly political sports fraternity to show unity for one day than running, walking or trudging along in the marathon.

I was told Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek participated in last year's event. This time around, Shabery should consider calling the sports fraternity to take part as well. Having trained with the Thomas Cup squad alongside his deputy Datuk Razali Ibrahim (picture shows the duo practising at the newly launched Putrajaya futsal centre ahead of the Hari Belia celebration), Shabery is the sort of leader who likes to show the way. Sure some of his policies and decisions are questionable but one thing's for sure, Shabery is a man of action.

Let's start with his staff at the Ministry. Then the National Sports Council (NSC), where director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong can walk side by side with MAAU deputy president, Karim Ibrahim, instead of having a war of words in the Press, and Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim has officials and athletes from four national associations - athletics, kabbadi, swimming and petanque - to call upon and register for the marathon.

FA of Malaysia (FAM) too can enter K. Rajagobal and his band of footballers.





Well, if the likes of Fahrin Ahmad, Atilia Haron, Amy Mastura and Zainalabidin can take time and participate in the marathon, why not our elite athletes, the cream of the crop who are supposed to embody the spirit of sportsmanship, sporting excellence and the Olympic ideals, that it does not matter if you don't win. Video courtesy of runwitme.blogspot.com.