SINGAPORE - Hello Kitty's 40th birthday celebrations kicked off with a rousing start early yesterday morning in Sentosa - with a 33 inch cupcake and the singing of Happy Birthday by 17,000 participants there for the run hosted by the feline.
Then the problems started. First came the rain, which forced organisers to put the inaugural Hello Kitty run on hold, leaving two remaining waves of runners, some with children, to seek limited shelter at the Sentosa Boardwalk.
But what really upset some participants, who paid $65 to $75 to take part, was the chaos they met when trying to collect a coveted Hello Kitty medal after completing the 5km run. As runners sought shelter from the rain in a pavilion where the medals were being given out, it became very crowded. According to a host of complaints on the event's Facebook page, an announcement saying there may not be enough medals for everyone caused the rush to become worse.
Race organiser Pink Apple apologised for the delays caused by the weather, and told those who were unable to collect their medals that they can do so on another day, which is yet to be announced.
