Two student winners and $55,000 raised for Asylum Seekers by Monash at Run Melbourne

Over 320 Monash students, staff and alumni took to the Melbourne CBD streets yesterday for Run Melbourne, raising more than $55,000 for Asylum Seeker Scholarships at the University.

In a combined TeamMONASH and External Relations, Development and Alumni initiative, Monash’s collective fundraising efforts ranked the University fourth out of 264 teams raising money for various causes at the event.

Participants in Run Melbourne had a staggered start, but

all three courses culminated at the combined finish line 

on the Yarra River. 

Melbourne weather (surprisingly!) pulled through with some ideal running conditions; clear skies, sunny, and no wind. This worked favourably for two Monash students, who beat thousands of people to take out the win in their respective events.

Biomedical Science Student Emilie Guy placed first out of over 3100 women competing in the 10k event, completing the course in an incredible 36 minutes and 16 seconds.

Michael Kernahan, a science student and like Emilie, also a member of TeamMONASH’s Elite Student Performer Scheme, won the 5k run with a time of 15 minutes 42 seconds. 

The scenic course loops around iconic Melbourne landmarks such as the MCG, Federation Square, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, with participants given the choice to compete in the 5k, 10k or Half Marathon events, or the 4km ‘Friendship dash’ which took place on Saturday.

Nestor first got involved with TeamMONASH

when he came to Monash to do an English 

Bridging course to study a Masters of

Counselling. 

Monash Alumni Nestor Alejandro Ochoa managed to complete a gruelling personal challenge: running the Half Marathon, 10k and 5k events back to back, taking just 15-30 minutes to rest between each event.

If this wasn't enough, Nestor also managed to run a personal best in the Half Marathon in the impressive time of one hour and 25 minutes. He said the decision to run the 'trifecta' was an "awesome and crazy challenge". 

"The hardest part of the whole morning was following the nutrition and hydration plan that was made before, because due to the lack of time, I had to eat as quick as possible and my body was not really accepting any food, I had to force myself to eat to avoid having any physical issues during the event," he said.

"The change from the 10km to 5km was really tough, I already had 31 kilometres on me and stopping was not really good for my body. I considered stopping there, but being so close to the end was really motivating." 

Monash 'cheer squads' were strategically positioned along the course to provide support and encouragement to the runners, who also had access to TeamMONASH's free marquee cloakroom, snacks and drinks. 

Multiple roads were closed around the city to facilitate

more than 22,000 runners who took to the streets for the 

event. 

Monash med student Jacob Pope said he was ecstatic to complete his first half marathon.

“I didn’t think I was going to be able to do it, and I was quite nervous about it,” he said.

“It was a big challenge, especially in the last five kilometres it started to get really difficult, but the atmosphere and the good vibes saw me through in the end, and I had a great time.”

Run Melbourne began 12 years ago, and since then over 200,000 runners have pounded the pavement at the annual event, clocking a combined distance of almost eight laps around the world.

This year 13 different groups within TeamMONASH implemented their own fundraising campaigns for the event. Monash External Relations, Development & Alumni team raised the most donations for Asylum Seeker Scholarships, followed by Mannix College and the Monash Law Students’ Society.

Monash Giving Programs Officer Ian Grimwood said the fundraising effort was a “huge success”.

Ian Grimwood (in pink!) said the Melbourne Marathon Festival

will be the next focus of Monash's fundraising efforts. 

“Asylum Seekers pay full international fees for their education, so that’s $35,000 a year and they don’t get any government support while they’re studying. So I think it’s important for Monash, as a place that values education for all, to be fundraising at events like this,” Ian said.

“We had people from all over the university taking part, so being there and seeing that was really special.”

Over a thousand people donated to the cause. Monash is hoping to raise another $45,000 for Scholarships by the end of the year.

Sam Robinson, in his second year of medicine at Monash, was involved with the fundraising team at Mannix College, a Monash affiliated residential college. Sam ran in the 10km event, and said Asylum Seeker Scholarships were about giving everyone a “fair chance”.

“I think as a college community, and as a Monash community, we all decided we wanted to try and make an impact on those less fortunate and who are not necessarily afforded the same opportunities as us,” he said.

“It was a really good atmosphere [at the run], and particularly towards the end that really helped you across the line. And all the Monash people, even the one’s you didn’t know, were really supportive during the run, which was great.”

Written by Nell O’Shea Carre, Media Coordinator.