Thousands of students take part in Mitre 10 Mega Whanganui Tough Kid challenge

More than 2600 children from 37 schools took on the Tough Kid obstacle course at Cooks Gardens on Friday. Photo / Olivia Reid

Thousands of students have toughed it out on an obstacle course at Whanganui’s Cooks Gardens.

On a sunny Friday, more than 2600 children from 37 schools in the Whanganui region took on Mitre 10 Mega Whanganui′s Tough Kid obstacle course.

Image 1 of 17: Thousands of students took on the 2024 Mitre 10 Mega Whanganui Tough Kid challenge at Cooks Gardens on November 8. Photo / Olivia Reid

On the blow of an air horn, the kids took off on the athletics track, then ran uphill and zigzagged back down to conquer a range of obstacles.

They included climbing over a mountain of hay, getting sprayed with hoses, crawling through tunnels, vans and cars, and a waterslide to the finish line.

The students waiting in the grandstands cheered and made up chants to encourage their classmates as they raced through the course.

Teachers and parents envious of the fun had their turn at tackling the course in the afternoon.

Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.