On Friday, 14 June 2024, a group of Jumping Kids Prosthetic Fund (Jumping Kids) beneficiaries and guests are being hosted at the Shapa Soweto sports complex for the inaugural Jumping Kids Sports Day in collaboration with Nike.

The event, that starts at 10:30 am, aims to showcase different sports participation opportunities, get attending Jumping Kids beneficiaries interested in getting involved, and to present the options available at the Shapa facility.

“We are excited to partner with Nike to present our first Jumping Kids Sports Day at Shapa Soweto. Staying fit and active is so important for anyone living with a limb related mobility challenge. Creating access to sports participation opportunities for the beneficiaries in our care is an important part of our overall philosophy,” says Jumping Kids Director, Michael Stevens.

The event will expose the young attendees from the Jumping Kids charity to a variety of sports on the day including tennis, athletics and football.

The occasion is supported by some well-known names on the international Para Athletics circuit in the form of Paralympian sprinters, Mpumemelo Mhlongo and Puseletso Mabote who will facilitate the track athletics.

Jumping Kids ambassador since 2009, Fred Furstenberg, will take care of the field athletics fun.

Wheelchair Tennis South Africa’s Partick Selepe is on hand to put the youngsters through their paces on the tennis court, while Jumping Kids ‘old boys’, Bongani Mahlangu and Simnikiwe Bosman, will oversee the football.

In addition to the sports activities, a demonstration of the fitment of a below-knee sport prosthesis known as a Cheetah running blade is also on the cards.

Guests on the day will include Paralympian, Tadhg Slattery and his team of swimmers from the Mandeville Disability Swimming club. The aim, to introduce new sports as part of the bigger picture – facilitating access to regular physical activity options towards the development of Para sport.

“Jumping Kids has a long history of involvement in Para sports development at grassroots level. Sport is an effective way to create a positive, inclusive environment where everyone can participate. We hope to build from this event and host similar, bigger events going forward. In this, our goal and Nike’s goal link up,” Stevens concludes.