In the spirit of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, HALCO recently held its own version—the 2024 HALCOlympics—at our Hereford site, all in support of raising funds for Laureus. Our staff eagerly participated in four fun events: a 'Triathlon' three-legged race, bean bag shot put, wicket cricket, and mini golf.

Teams were divided into four colours—Red, Orange, Green, and Yellow—with each team nominating a participant for each event. Scoring was simple: the winner of each event earned 5 points, the runner-up got 3 points, third place received 1 point, and fourth place earned none.

The games kicked off with the three-legged race, where two teammates were bound together at the ankles to race against the clock. The Red and Green teams struggled initially, completing their laps in over 20 seconds each. Yellow set a strong pace, clocking in at 18.75 seconds, and seemed poised to win. But the Orange team, with impeccable teamwork, edged them out with a time of 17.82 seconds, claiming the first gold medal and 5 points.

After the first event, the scores stood at:

• ORANGE: 5 Points
• YELLOW: 3 Points
• RED: 0 Points
• GREEN: 0 Points

Next, the bean bag shot put took centre stage. Competitors had to launch bean bags into scoring boxes, each varying in points based on distance. The contest was fiercely competitive, coming down to the final bean bag. The Orange team once again triumphed, securing another 5 points, followed by Yellow in second, Green in third, and Red in fourth.

After two events, the scoreboard read:

• ORANGE: 10 Points
• YELLOW: 6 Points
• GREEN: 1 Point
• RED: 0 Points

The third event, wicket cricket, required participants to bowl and hit the wicket as many times as possible within five attempts. Despite some unconventional techniques and near misses, the Red team emerged victorious with two successful hits, earning them their first gold medal. The other teams each managed one hit, sharing second place.

The scores after three events were:

• ORANGE: 13 Points
• YELLOW: 9 Points
• RED: 5 Points
• GREEN: 4 Points

Finally, the competition wrapped up with mini golf. A challenging course was set up in our warehouse with some obstacles. Two players from each team participated, with the lowest combined score determining the winner. Yellow managed an impressive hole-in-one, securing the win and the final 5 points. Orange followed closely with 3 points, while Green took third with 1 point, and Red faced difficulties, finishing last.

The final scoreboard after all events was:

• ORANGE: 16 Points
• YELLOW: 14 Points
• GREEN: 6 Points
• RED: 5 Points

In the end, the Orange team claimed overall victory and celebrated with well-deserved sweet treats. More importantly, we successfully raised an impressive £280 for Laureus. Their Sport for Good campaign continues to promote positivity and combat discrimination and inequality worldwide. If you’d like to learn more about their incredible work, click here.

For more pictures, view our exclusive gallery below!