'Koala Challenge' sparks superstar's viral response for bush fire appeals

Bryce Harper attempts the 'Koala Challenge'. Photo / Instagram

Baseball megastar Bryce Harper has come out in support of an unusual way to help those affected by the Australian bush fires.

A variation of the 'Koala Bear challenge' requires participants to climb around a gym bench without touching the ground.

The challenge was raised by workout recovery drink company FitAid and began with the support of one-armed athlete Logan Aldridge who defied the loss of a limb to complete the harder-than-it-seems challenge.

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🦘KINDNESS WINS🦘 🐨 AUSSIE KOALA BEAR RELIEF CHALLENGE by FITAID 🐨 This week, FITAID will donate 5% of all sales from FITAID ZERO directly to our brave family and friends fighting the devastating fires down in Australia. We will also be sending 10,000 cans of FITAID Down Under to help those hardworking men and women recover from their exhaustive relief efforts. Additionally, we are partnering with FITAID athlete @JamesNewbury’s GoFundMe to help raise even more funds for the firefighters, by asking each of you to do the #KoalaChallenge! Now through Friday, for every post shared of someone doing the Koala Challenge (photo/video), FITAID will donate $5 directly to the efforts of Australian wildlife protection services. Tag @FITAID in the post. (Must include #FITAID and #KoalaChallenge) . . . #koalachallenge #FITAID #Australia #wildlife #koalabears #DownUnder #firefighters #saveAustralia #FITAIDZERO #abetterwaytodrink #nature #giveback #wildlifeprotectionservice #recover #recovery #relief #challenge #gofundme #wildfires #outdoor #donation #brave #makeadifference #lifeaid #lifeaidbevco

A post shared by James Newbury • Adelaide (@jamesnewbury) on Jan 7, 2020 at 2:33am PST

The company is donating a percentage of all sales directly to the bush fire appeals and has partnered with Australian fitness freak James Newbury to ask his followers to attempt the challenge. Every tagged post will see the company donate more money "directly to the efforts of Australian wildlife protection services".

Videos of people attempting to finish the core-busting challenge quickly began to flood social media and caused so much of a stir they captured the attention of a Harper, a NZ$500 million baseball megastar.

The Philadelphia Phillies slugger decided to get in on the act and gave the challenge a shot and shared his efforts with his 1.7 million followers.

As Harper's video begins everyone in the background at the gym stop and marvel at his feats as he manages to navigate around the bench, despite the head knock to kick things off.

If you're feeling up for a new challenge at the gym and want to help raise some money for the bushfires: find an empty bench, making sure it's firmly fastened to the ground, and attempt to roll around the bench without touching the ground. Then just tag @FITAID in a social media post along with the #FITAID and #KoalaChallenge hashtags.

Harper joins a long line of athletes to do their part to help raise much-needed funds for the devastating fires in Australia.

- with news.com.au