Monash enters team of 500 in Walk the Talk

July 2009

Maisaka Ramoloto, MSA Residence Manager with her daughter Selina at the Walk the Talk event

Top from the left: Chris Maiketso, MSA Community Services Officer; Johan Smith MSA Sports Officer; Below: Kefilwe Tsimakwane, MSA Residence Services Officer and  Andreia Marques, Team Leader, Community Fitness Events, Monash Sport.

Monash South Africa  students, staff,  alumni and their families braved the winter chill on Sunday 26 July, to be part of the 500-strong TeamMONASH in Johannesburg’s biggest and best loved walking event - the Discovery 702 Walk the Talk.

Introduced in 2000 with 12 000 entries, this year’s Walk the Talk was the biggest ever with 50 000 participants, who walked one of four distances – 5km, 8km, 15km and 30km. The most popular were the 5km and 8km walks with 42 000 participants.

Seven 65-seater busses began departing from the Monash campus at 06:30 on Sunday to the start of the race at Marks Park in Emmarentia. 

All Monash participants wore distinctive purple TeamMONASH vests. Most walked the 5km distance and then gathered afterwards to relax and enjoy refreshments at the Monash picnic site at the event.

According to Johan Smith, team coordinator and Sports Officer at Monash South Africa: “This year Monash entered the second biggest of all the teams taking part in this very sociable event which brings together families, schools, corporates, companies, charities and communities.”

Monash South Africa Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Tyrone Pretorius said: "We are delighted at the excellent response we have had from Monash South Africa students, staff and alumni and their families to take part in Walk the Talk this year."

"While supporting a good cause, these events promote participation in healthy fun activities leading to fitness, and create a sense of unity and community spirit among students and staff on campus."