Strathfield Council’s Cooks River Fun Run returned for a successful sixth year on Sunday 21 June. Runners and walkers came along to Freshwater Park to participate in a 5km, 10km, 2km kids run, 5km walk or a 10km relay.

The event supported Bowel Cancer Australia for the third time, with $5 from each entry donated to assist with education and community awareness as part of Bowel Cancer Awareness month initiatives. The funds raised from entry fees contributed $2515, with funds raised from the BBQ on the day also being donated.

In the 5km female race, 15 year old Jessica Guo set a new course record with a time of 17:47. The male 10km event was hotly contested, with winner Kieran Roche breaking the course record in a time of 33:09. In the 10km female race, two time winner Lauren Hamilton defended her title from 2014.

The event received positive feedback from runners across Sydney, who enjoyed the fast course, free giveaways and the group warm up before both runs. The new 10km relay was a position addition to the event, giving runners the chance to participate in teams of two.

Mayor of Strathfield, Cr Gulian Vaccari, said the strong turnout for the event was great example of the importance placed on an active lifestyle.

“It is great that so many runners and walkers take part in the Cooks River Fun Run each year, and especially exciting to see many kids participating in the 2km event. I enjoyed seeing the smiling faces and positive spirit shown by so many people, it is a genuine feel-good event,” Cr Vaccari said.

“The Fun Run is a positive way to promote healthy lifestyles in the community and is fantastic preparation for people training for bigger races. Each year, we’ve seen growth and expansion of the event, so I look forward to many more successful Cooks River Fun Runs in future years.”

Full results are available by visiting www.cooksriverfunrun.com.au