Олимпийский спринтер Дуан Асемота организует благотворительный забег в поддержку детей Руанды

Canadian sprinter hosts 5K to support Right To Play Rwanda Ajax, Ont.'s Duan Asemota is bringing some speed to the distance-running world with a unique challenge Muad Issa (@muadems) Ajax Ont.’s Duan Asemota is an Olympic sprinter and national champion, and in October he is putting his name to a cause that extends well beyond the track (and the road). He is using his profile on the world stage to raise funds for Right To Play Rwanda, an organization that uses sport and play-based programming to support children and youth. Asemota’s nickname, “The Pocket,” has inspired the name of his new local race: The Pocket Run 5K, which will take place in Ajax on Oct. 3. View this post on Instagram The race will feature a traditional 5K along the Ajax Waterfront Trail, with an added sprint challenge designed to determine who has the most speed, whether the distance is short or long. Commonwealth recap Asemota was one of only two Canadians to advance to the semi-finals of the men’s 100m at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. His time of 10.14 seconds was not enough to advance to the final, but he found himself in a stacked semifinal field that included Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, who ran a national-record 9.89, and Australia’s Luke Kennedy, who posted a PB of 9.94. Asemota’s Commonwealth Games campaign didn’t end there. As part of the Canadian men’s 4×100-metre relay team, he helped win a silver medal. Canada ran 38.11 seconds, finishing just behind Australia’s winning time of 38.07. “After an up-and-down season, I’m feeling really good coming out of the Commonwealth Games,” Asemota told Canadian Running. “Breaking into the relay program feels great, and I think it shows what’s possible in the coming years.” The beginning of a race Asemota said his belief in sport as a way to connect people from different backgrounds began when he was young. During a childhood visit to Nigeria, he discovered that a soccer ball could bridge a language barrier. “They speak English in Nigeria, but not great English,” Asemota said. “But we were able to communicate through the spirit of sport, by just playing soccer in the backyard of my grandma’s house.” That belief took on new meaning in 2025, when Asemota had the opportunity to visit Rwanda as an ambassador for Right To Play. Visiting Rwanda was deeply personal for Asemota, whose friend and teammate, Steven Nkusky, was from Rwanda and died in 2015. Asemota said Nkusky often spoke about how much he loved Rwanda and wanted him to visit. “When Right To Play reached out, it felt like the perfect opportunity,” Asemota said. “Steven and I had always talked about me going to Rwanda one day, and he always spoke so highly of it.” Right To Play Rwanda During his time in Rwanda, Asemota was particularly impressed by the STEM programming available to students. He saw young people developing practical skills through projects ranging from robotics to agricultural irrigation. The experience stayed with him, and when he learned that funding challenges were putting the future of the Rwanda program at risk, he wanted to help. “When I heard funding was an issue, I wanted to come back home and do something for them,” Asemota said. “So I thought, why don’t we throw on a 5K with all net proceeds going toward them? It was near and dear to my heart because I know the kids over there really need that stuff, and they really value the type of funding that goes toward them.” Asemota first visited Rwanda in November 2025 and, less than a year later, has turned that experience into a road race that will give back to the community that left a lasting impression on him. The Pocket’s Pocket 5K The inaugural Pocket Run 5K will take place Oct. 3 in Ajax. The Athletics Ontario-sanctioned event will feature timing by OVR Performance and a route along the Ajax Waterfront Trail. Asemota, a sprinter at heart, wanted to add something beyond the usual 5K. The race will include a 40-yard dash challenge, allowing runners to test their acceleration after the initial endurance challenge. The idea is to highlight the different demands of sprinting and distance running while giving athletes from different backgrounds a chance to step outside their comfort zones. “The biggest thing about this run is that it’s going to support kids who have such a bright future and help make that future even brighter,” Asemota said. “The STEM program is something I really want to support. Watching these kids develop such strong technology skills at such a young age gives them opportunities to learn, grow and potentially travel the world.”