At the halfway point in 2023, Pho3nix Kids continues to break new ground and reach more children, supporting the Pho3nix Foundation’s goals to bring sport to kids all over the world – more than half a million participants in four years across eight countries.
Mana Sports and Entertainment Group as Pho3nix Foundation’s operational partner guides event delivery and promotion across the globe, working hand-in-hand with local partners to ensure Pho3nix Kids activities are vibrant, fun, colourful, and inclusive for children of all abilities.
In Poland, Pho3nix Kids events included the Kids Run at the Poznan Half Marathon in which 900 children took part, as well as the Maja Bike Race with 150 participants held in partnership with dual Olympic medallist and mountain bike world champion Maja Wloszczowska. Total race participation increased by 24.5%, with that number to rise to 65% by the end of the year.
Pho3nix Active Schools have partnered with more than 500 schools in Poland to get nearly 84,000 kids competing to set a new Pho3nix record for jumping jacks. Over 7,000 children have also participated in a video competition. Since 2020 when the Pho3nix Kids mobile app was launched in the nation, 138,000 users have logged over 8 million steps and stayed active using its huge library of workout videos and tips for kids.
In Yorkshire in the United Kingdom, Pho3nix Kids by Brownlee Foundation mini-triathlons in May introduced over 5,500 children to the sport of triathlon. This marked the largest number of children ever in one Brownlee Foundation event, and brought the total number of Brownlee Foundation participants past 50,000 since 2014. Even more mini-triathlons are scheduled for the latter half of the year, increasing the already impressive participation rates.
The eight Pho3nix Kids Triathlon by Chris McCormack events held across the Australian spring and summer saw a 6.4% increase in participation from the previous year’s series. The free Pho3nix Kids Gold Coast Triathlon in April saw an astounding 64% bump in participant numbers year-on-year. Importantly,a third of all kids were participating for the first time, which showcases the ability of Pho3nix Kids to inspire and engage children to take on a new sporting challenge. The 2023/2024 series commences in September.
Also in Australia, Pho3nix has partnered with Swimming Australia to power the Pho3nix Junior Excellence Program which will see 17,000 kids aged 9-13 develop skills and healthy habits, building pathways into senior swimming and success in and out of the pool.
Going on the third year in Switzerland, more than 3,000 children have finished a Pho3nix Kids Triathlon by Nicola Spirig. Pho3nix Kids workshops in the nation have also engaged more than 11,000 children and a growing number of schools, facilitating activities to foster and inspire a love for sport in school age children.
Pho3nix Kids Triathlon by Nicola Spirig events have expanded into Greece in partnership with the Federation of Hellenic Triathlon. 440 children participated across the first two races, and there’s more to look forward to with one more event in Crete in September. Race entry fees go toward raising funds for the Pho3nix Foundation as well two Greek charities: the Athens and Heraklion races support the Together for Children Association which annually provides assistance to more than 30,000 children in need, while the Thessaloniki race supports the Agios Stylianos Municipal Infant Orphanage.
The second year of Pho3nix Kids Triathlon by Javier Gomez Noya in Spain has seen constant numbers after the first three races. The number of Pho3nix Kids workshops held has doubled from 10 to 20 and the number of cooperating schools has risen from 9 to 36, adding up to a 121% increase in the total number of children engaged – and the year isn’t over yet. More than 8,500 Spanish kids have engaged in Pho3nix Kids events since 2022.
Pho3nix Kids events in Thailand continue to engage thousands of participants, ensuring kids have a great time and will be inspired to pursue sport further and keep up the active lifestyle. In addition to the conduct of the Pho3nix Kids Triathlon events, Pho3nix continues to work with The Movement Playground to deliver the Pho3nix Move4Life parkour program for a second year, seeing participation increase by 4.4% and number of partner schools rise by 42%. This brings the total number of Pho3nix Kids participants in Thailand to more than 2,900 since 2022.
With three races down and two more to go, the first year of Pho3nix Kids Triathlon in the Philippines has brought the Pho3nix mindset to the nation. “Together We Rise” has powered participation as paid entries sponsor free entries for children from partner schools and communities.
More than half a million children have now participated in a Pho3nix Kids program since its inception four years ago under Mana Group’s guiding hands, putting Pho3nix Kids at the forefront of positively impacting children’s lives through unwavering commitment to inspire and empower children through sport. We can’t wait to show what the rest of the year will bring.
