Powder play

Sentosa was a riot of colour as The Color Run made its return.

Compared to the blazing sunshine that greeted the event last year, an overcast sky and thunder heralded the event yesterday.

Not that it dampened the enthusiasm of the close to 9,000 runners taking part in the "happiest 5k on Sentosa Island".

Today another 9,000 Color Runners will get their chance to turn their white T-shirts a myriad of hues as they are pelted along the route with coloured powder.

In total, about 18,000 people will take part in the run, that is 2,000 more than last year.

The Color Run happens all over the world and Singapore hosts the largest such event in South-east Asia.

It is the only country in the region to have hosted it for the second year running.

First-time runner Partrick Chan, 47, went with his wife and daughter.

Before he set off on the race, he told The New Paper on Sunday: "I heard about the coloured powder but I forgot to bring a mask. My daughter is armed with her swimming goggles though."

There is a charitable aspect to the race as main sponsor CIMB Bank donates a dollar from every registration to the Singapore Disability Sports Council.

Slots for the run were snapped up within the launch weekend.

"I almost missed the registration this year," said Mr Hakeem Nordin, 22. "Luckily, my friend signed me up."

At 4pm, the first wave was flagged off.

At every 1km mark, runners were doused with coloured powder.

Some runners even tried to gather powder from the floor to throw it at their friends.

"I don't want to leave this area," exclaimed student Racheal Tan.

"I am going to wait for my friends from the next wave and 'powder welcome' them. They did that to me last year," said the 18-year-old, who was covered in orange and blue powder.

jariffin@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on August 31, 2014.
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