What is Operation Broken Wing?
It is not a competition of strength, nor a fitness throw down, nor a show of athleticism.
What Operation Broken Wing (OBW) is, though, is an event where athletes from all walks of life and ages - children as young as 9, teens, adults and even the athletes in their silver years, come together to perform a workout to raise funds as a collective community. But beyond the event, it is a charity fitness movement dedicated to improving the lives of Youth At Risk.
The monies are raised via sponsorships of the athletes, with sponsors being the athletes’ own friends and family. “The athletes will have to source for their own sponsors, and sponsors can decide on a specific amount of their choice for every repetition that the athlete does in the workout,” says Lionel Choong, organiser and coach at Innervate CrossFit. He adds that, “OBW is special because it serves as an interactional space for beneficiaries to forge relationships with youths from other social circles, thereby cultivating their social capital and aspirations.”
Operation Broken Wing, now in its 4th year, makes its return and have expanded its program and purpose to other countries such as Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia (Penang and Kuala Lumpur), the Philippines (Manila) and even Australia (Melbourne). On top of that, OBW is seeking more participation this year, as it is now open to all fitness enthusiasts regardless of whether one is a CrossFit athlete or not. This is a change from previous years, where it was opened only to the CrossFit community. As the movements in the prescribed workout are technical in nature, non-CrossFit participants are encouraged to join us for a short OBW prep class as a safety measure.
The Workout will be released periodically depending on the city you are in. The workouts might vary slightly but the theme and heart remains the same. Everyone is invited, scaling options are available!
For Singapore, the athletes will be performing Fight For Hope, an 18 minute workout rotating across 5 different movements.
The total number of repetitions performed by the athlete at the end of the workout is tallied and multiplied to the sponsorship category of the Sponsor’s choice (ie. 200 reps x $1.20 = $240). Following which, Sponsors can head to the donation portal to make their donation.
"I really enjoyed the community aspect of OBW. OBW is a rare occasion which athletes gather together as a
community to support the society for a greater cause.
OBW is more than just a physical competition between athletes. The vibe of the event is different - you definitely feel the competitiveness, but ultimately everyone is there to do their part in raising money and awareness for REACH and the youth that REACH supports. You are motivated by a greater cause and the saying "every rep counts" takes on a whole new meaning.
OBW is a meaningful way to use our passion for Crossfit to help impact the lives of others. Go register today! “ - David Hauw, 27, Singapore
"Last year, I participated in Operation Broken Wing 2015. The experience I had was fantastic! With so many participants and spectators cheering for athletes to push hard for a special cause, a cause to raise funds of youth-at-risk in Singapore. With every repetition I did, I thought of the struggles and adversities that the youth-at-risk faced in life. Tiredness and fatigue fades away as I know for every repetition I did, it will be translated into raising help for the youths.
As a youth worker, I see many rough rocks waiting to be GEMS. I hope that you will join me in my quest to fight for hope! Be it through being an athlete or donating to this cause!” -Owen Soon, Youth Worker at REACH Youth, Singapore
Join us and be a part of this movement today!
