Sport, heritage, tourism and community development will come together in Addo on Heritage Day on Thursday when the second Bayethe Addo Explore Fun Run takes place at Travel Addo Farmstall.
The event comes during Heritage Month and Tourism Month, creating a natural platform for Bayethe Multisport Academy to demonstrate how sport can bring people together, promote destinations and create opportunities within local communities.
“The decision to host the race on Heritage Day is deliberate,” Bayethe Multisport Academy marketing executive Sithembiso Soyaya said.
“Heritage is about the people, places, experiences and traditions that connect us.
“Sport gives us a practical way to bring people together around those connections.
“We want people to come to Addo for the run, but we also want them to discover the destination, support local businesses and experience what the community has to offer.
“If someone leaves Addo wanting to return, or tells someone else about the destination, then the event has achieved something beyond the race itself.”
The tourism focus has been strengthened through a formal partnership between Bayethe Multisport Academy and Sarah Baartman district municipality.
The parties have entered into a service level agreement for the 2026/27 financial year, with the municipality contributing R40,000 towards activities associated with the fun run.
Race director Xola Williams said the event offered an opportunity to grow Addo’s tourism profile through sport.
“Addo has a strong tourism identity, and events such as this give us another way to invite people into the area,” Williams said.
“When runners travel here, they often come with family and friends. They eat at local establishments, use accommodation, visit attractions and support businesses.
“That is the tourism value we want to grow.”
The event will run from 8am to noon and will feature more than just running.
Visitors can enjoy traditional foods, ‘Braai Day’ (Heritage Day) specials, entertainment and a jumping castle, while prizes include game drives for two, accommodation packages, sandboarding experiences and a boat cruise for two.
The event is part of Bayethe’s wider mission of expanding communities through sport and education.
Founded in 2017, Bayethe Multisport Academy has grown from a small group of young professionals passionate about multisport into a nonprofit organisation with a footprint in SA and Mauritius.
More than 200 athletes between the ages of 11 and 75 have been trained through Bayethe.
Its athletes are registered with Cycling SA, Triathlon SA and SWD Athletics, and have participated in major national and international competitions, including the Cape Town Cycle Tour, Ironman SA, MUT George, Ultra-Trail Cape Town and the Comrades Marathon.
Bayethe athletes have also competed at the 2022 World Duathlon Championships in Romania, the Ironman African Championship and the Backyard Ultra World Championships.
Bayethe chair William Bennett said: “Our vision is to make sport development accessible to young people, particularly those from previously disadvantaged communities, who may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in cycling, running and triathlon.” — Bayethe Multi Sport Academy
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