On 30 November – 5 December 2020, 100 people from around the world will come together to join sporting legends Sean Fitzpatrick and Michael Johnson to trek 100km over 4 days through the South Island of New Zealand - pushing themselves out of their comfort zones and raising money for Laureus Sport for Good.

All funds raised on Challenge New Zealand 2020 will go towards programmes in the Laureus Sport for Good network that work towards improving young people’s mental health and well-being.

There is a growing body of evidence to show the benefit that regular physical exercise has on both physical and mental health. These developments are crucial to reducing stigma and building resilience in the face of difficulties.

Across the Sport for Good programmes working in this field, sport is used to draw together young people who would not attend a formal briefing or a more conventional educational setting, to create a forum where key messages can be delivered and reinforced through the platform of trust built up between participants, coaches/mentors and teammates.

In 2018, 44,603 children and young people in Laureus programmes reported that they felt less socially isolated and 129,792 children and young people were found to have developed confidence, emotional balance and resilience in the face of difficulties.