ASICS FrontRunner team members are 'ambassadors of movement' - they share their passion for moving and running to inspire others. They simply live and love what they are doing: spending most of their free time being active and moving themselves or others. This is a global movement and with an already epic team, there was only a few slots available in South Africa this year.
We received a flood of amazing applications, but after much deliberation, these are those who made the cut to join the team:
- Vicky Oelofse
- Sobantu Nqayi
- Megan Lagerway
- Shalom Chitanda
- Bilqees Baker
- Thuso Kuali
- Tamara Snow
Vicky Oelofse
Vicky hails from Port Elizabeth and currently in her second year at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein. She is a track specialist with 800m and 1500m being her distances of choice. "I also enjoy road running and have competed over the 10km and competed in the half marathon as a junior," says Vicky. "I'm a passionate runner and respect the discipline and courage that the sport demands."
According to Vicky, she is extremely excited for the year ahead and is looking forward to what she will be able to accomplish as a Frontrunner.
Sobantu Nqayi
"I’m an all round performer," says Sobantu, adding that he has been an actor since the age of 10. “Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances, and that’s what I love doing," he adds. When not performing, Sobantu is a digital content creator who loves utilising digital platforms to tell stories, something he's very much looking forward to doing this year. "I’m looking forward to meeting people who share the same passion for living life and running."
Megan Lagerwey
Meg is a health-coach and copywriter by profession. She is passionate about all things plant-based; holistic health and wellness. And, of course, running. "I absolutely love how running makes me feel and how it brings people from all walks of life together to accomplish a common goal," she says. "I am so blown away that I’ve been chosen to be apart of the FrontRunner family for 2020! I’m so excited and ready for the growth it’ll bring, the people I’ll meet and the km’s we’ll run together."
Shalom Chitanda
Shalom is a law student at the University of Cape Town. She is passionate about self development, health and fitness and anything superhero related. "I love to be active," she says. "I hike, run, gym and play soccer. I am always looking for new ways to challenge myself mentally and physically."
Her goal is to inspire others to do the same, she knows progress is not always easy but it’s always possible and that is why she is excited for the year ahead as FrontRunner. "I want to connect with new people and I think being a part of a team is fun."
Bilqees Baker
Bilqees is a 24-year-old aspiring chartered accountant working as an academic trainee at the University of Cape Town. Her love for health and fitness was sparkled in early 2018 after she recovered from a brain bleed. "Since then I have been sharing my fitness journey on Instagram in the hopes of inspiring women to exercise no matter their shape or size," she says.
She is looking forward to being part of the ASICS FrontRunner team to be able to prove 'that curvy girls can run too.'
Thuso Kuali
Thuso is a goal-oriented individual who believes in the power of hardwork. His favourite places are the gym or out on the road, running. "One of my mantras is 'I run to catch a breath' as running helps me consolidate my thoughts and releases me of hard-weighing emotions. My dreams govern my direction and I am cognisant of not limiting these," he says. In 2020, Thuso is looking forward to meeting different individuals, sharing experiences and ideas, all the while doing what he loves - running.
Tamara Snow
Tamara is a veteran of the radio broadcasting industry, with more than a decade's experience. In addition she is an entrepreneur and public relations specialist. "I connect with my audience on social media through authentic, inspirational posts covering topics such as body positivity, self-love, stepping into your power and more."
Tamara hopes to inspire women to be the best versions of themselves. Her passion for women empowerment has seen her work on a number of Corporate Social Investment initiatives in a mentoring capacity and her love of fashion and beauty has resulted in collaborations with a number of brands. "Living an active lifestyle is about showing up for myself - because I’m worth it," she says. "I’m excited to be part of the FrontRunner team to push my limits and learn from a community of likeminded, kick-ass people."
