A FESTIVAL FOR URBAN SPORTS

SportSG hopes inaugural 10-day event will rally the masses and become an Asian fixture

- Deepanraj Ganesan

When the Olympics get under way in Paris from July 26, many eyebrows will be raised as the world's best athletes attempt feats and do battle on sport's grandest stage for a fortnight.

Plenty of arms and legs will also be lifted as breaking, a dance sport, makes its debut after several other urban sports such as skateboarding, sport climbing and 3x3 basketball made spectacular bows at the Tokyo Games.

Seeking to tap on these sports' increasing popularity, Sport Singapore announced on May 18 that it will be holding the inaugural Singapore Urban Sports & Fitness Festival from Aug 23 to Sept 1.

The 10-day fiesta will feature masterclasses, exhibitions and competitions for disciplines such as street dance, fitness racing, parkour, skateboarding and obstacle laser run.

Bringing together more than 10 partners from the urban sports and fitness sectors, the events will be held at such places as Singapore Expo, Jurong Lake Gardens and Marina Square.

In a media statement, SportSG said it hopes the festival will serve as a platform to rally communities to support the local urban sporting scene.