Celebrated athlete launches Cheetah Run

THE 2023 Eagle Athletic Club 2023 Cheetah Run which will take place in Fota Wildlife Park on Thursday, May 18 has been launched by Hugh McSweeney.

McSweeney who is regarded as one of the most successful Irish Masters Athletes started his running career in 1982 and is a long-standing member of the Eagle Athletic Club, based in Cork City.

Throughout his distinguished athletic career, McSweeney has captured a plethora of major titles at national, European, and World Championship levels.

Fota Wildlife Park hosts the annual Cheetah Run in conjunction with Eagle AC and each year the funds raised are used to support the Wildlife Park’s research and conservation projects.

The 5km race is very scenic and runners will run past tigers, lions, giraffes, and cheetahs as they run through the grounds of Fota Wildlife Park and Fota House and Gardens. A 1km juvenile race will also be held for 11 to 15-year-olds.

Hugh McSweeney said the run is one of the most popular races in the Cork calendar. 

“There is something very special about the route which takes runners through the grounds of Fota Wildlife Park and neighbouring Fota House and Gardens.”

Director of Fota Wildlife Park, Sean McKeown, said the race raises valuable funding for conservation work. “As a non-profit organisation, the race is a valuable source of funding for the conservation work we do. Funds raised from the race will be used to support conservation projects such as the Madagascan pochard and the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey in Vietnam.”

Race directors at Eagle AC, Ruairi Egan and Karen Bevan, said they are looking forward to welcoming everyone to the unique race which attracts nearly 1,000 participants.

The Cheetah Run adult race will commence at 8pm and the juvenile race starts at 7.15pm on Thursday, May 18. Each runner can bring a maximum of four visitors along with them free of charge to watch.

Registration opens tomorrow on eventmaster.ie.