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Four universities to walk 200 000 km in ten weeks

12 April 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Charl Devenish

“May the best team win the 2019 BestMed Pedometer Challenge!” said LJ van Zyl, Pedometer Challenge ambassador.

Participants in the 2019 BestMed Pedometer Challenge will start improving their health step by step after the University of the Free State (UFS) challenged the Stellenbosch University, Central University of Technology, and North-West University (NWU) to an eight-week walking competition.

South African 400-metre hurdles record-holder and the Pedometer Challenge ambassador, LJ van Zyl, embraced the initiative as an alternative method to achieve fitness. “I am so tired of running and this is great way to stay fit,” he said during the official launch on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus on 5 April 2019.

Inter-institutional fight for fitness

Last year, the UFS Division for Organisational Development and Employment Wellness in the Department of Human Resources led a UFS-only challenge that saw 60 teams of staff members log a total of 54 606 km in eight weeks. The division then challenged the NWU.

Together, the NWU and UFS walked 132 000 km. This year, the UFS is taking it one step further by challenging two more institutions.

Leading the way

“We aim to get South Africa active – starting with the UFS – by embracing fitness and health ourselves,” said Arina Engelbrecht, UFS Employee Wellness Specialist.

Participants on all fitness and activity levels will gun for a 200 000 km target over 10 weeks.

The challenge kicked off on the Bloemfontein Campus with a 3-km walk at the launch, leaving 199 997 km between the four universities for the rest of the eight-week challenge.

News Archive

International students welcomed

2013-02-15

Photo: Linda Fekisi

The International Affairs portfolio of the Student Representative Council (SRC) hosted a welcoming session for international first-entry students at the Bloemfontein Campus.

Tumelo Moreri, SRC member: International Affairs, said there are approximately 2 000 international students who are registered at the university. The students come from 46 countries around the world, not just from Africa.

In her welcoming speech, Tumelo urged the students to apply to the Student Council. “Your presence on this campus has to be felt as international students.”

Director of the Office for International Affairs, Mrs Dineo Gaofhiwe-Ingram, was among the speakers at the event. She advised students to realise the importance of being at the University of the Free State and urged them to interact and be part of student life. The overall message was to engage in the various structures the varsity has to offer. Mrs Gaofhiwe-Ingram told them not be silent, but that their voices should be heard as they also form an important part of the Kovsie family.

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