Bravery Trek throws mega fundraiser run in Darwin, Richard Marles attends
After clocking a massive 80 kilometre run overnight, the Kiwi woman swapped her running shoes for a pair of comfy, orange crocs. Read why she ran.
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From dusk till dawn, a Kiwi woman ran more than 80 kilometres along the Darwin Esplanade under the cover of darkness, with 130 fellow joggers in tow.
On Wednesday evening, Sergeant Nadia Currie of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) joined service members from across 10 nations to run, walk, and ride the Bravery Trek fundraising event.
Aimed at raising vital funds to provide financial assistance for veterans facing hardship, the event set a target to clock 3000 kilometres in a single night.
Under the night sky, participants ran as far as they could before rotating with teammates for much-needed rest on the nearby stretcher beds.
The Esplanade’s walkways had never been so busy in the dead of night, with up to 100 red-shirt wearing participants streaming along the pavement at a time.
By dawn, the participants had clocked up more than 4200 kilometres – a greater distance than Darwin to Sydney.
Following her mammoth 80-plus kilometre contribution, Sergeant Currie, from the New Zealand North Island, swapped out her running shoes for a pair of bright socks and orange crocs.
“I run back home but running this far wasn’t my plan,” she told the NT News.
“My body definitely let me know that.”
Other red-faced participants included a high-performing contingent from the Indian Air Force, who was awarded best team.
NT Administrator Hugh Heggie, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Solomon MP Luke Gosling could also be seen hitting the track as a bacon and egg brekkie awaited the large group of hungry athletes.
Mr Marles congratulated the group of the significant achievement and said the funds raised would support veterans.
“I thank Bravery Trek for their fantastic work in supporting veterans,” he said.
“What the Royal Commission told us is that veterans do face challenges in the broader community, but veterans also bring so much from their experience in the Defence Force to the broader community, to the private sector – the are great people.”
Asked by a participant if he could help make the event “bigger and better” in 2025, Mr Marles accepted the challenge and said it was “on”.
“This is my second year participating in Bravery Trek, and this event here has just been superb.”
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