Women set donation record at Lower Austria charity run

More than 3,200 runners took part in the Lower Austria Women’s Run in St. Pölten on Sunday, raising €30,000 for cancer support, ORF reported. The sum was a new donation record.

The 20th edition of the event was held around St. Pölten’s lakes. Organisers said the run focused on exercise, community and increasing the visibility of women in sport, regardless of age or fitness level.

Participants could choose running distances of 9.8 kilometres, 5.2 kilometres or 2.5 kilometres, as well as a 5.2-kilometre Nordic walking route. Children took part over 500-metre or 1,000-metre courses. The event also included a two-generation category for teams with an age difference of at least 20 years.

Ten euros from each participant went to the Lower Austria Cancer Aid organisation and the Austrian Red Cross stem cell donation programme.

“The Lower Austria Women’s Run combines prevention, health promotion and lived solidarity,” said Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister, the Lower Austrian councillor responsible for women and families, at the award ceremony in the state sports centre. “Our goal is to actively support people in difficult situations.”