Close to 12,000 school pupils take part in EOK charity relay race
A sports week organized by the Estonian Olympic Committee (EOK) saw close to 12,000 schoolchildren from across the country take part in a charity relay race.
The event was being held for the 17th time, and races took place at 28 locations in Estonia.
One of these was the border town of Narva, in which over 300 schoolchildren took part.
Greeted by the town's famous rower, Andrei Šilin, who acted as race starter, there was no actual winner as such – it was being run on the principle of it's the taking part that counts.-
Šilin said: "Everyone must be given the opportunity to feel the will to win. But in fact, this event is very significant, and for us it is also a great honor to participate here and really help someone."
Even more important, able-bodied children got the chance to help their peers who have mobility and other issues, by raising the money.
One Narva school pupil, Emili, said: "As there are a lot of people who can't compete, who don't have the opportunity to run, but need to find the funds to, for example, have some surgery, this helps people with that. Winning is not important either, I would say. The main thing is to do it for you."
Not all students diminished the importance of victory, however.
9th grader Vladislav, siad: "To race past someone, to win, this is some sporting interest. To be first, in your grade."
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Editor: Andrew Whyte