From October 1 to 4, more than 3,000 people from 66 teams from 45 institutions competed in the 15th iteration of the Business School Gobi Challenge. Typically held in May, the annual challenge but was delayed this year due to COVID-19.
Despite the odds wrought by the pandemic, The NUS Business School team, comprising 40 students and alumni from the The NUS MBA, The NUS Executive MBA and The NUS Executive MBA (Chinese) programmes, battled the harsh weather and desolate terrain of the Mo-Kia-Yen Gobi Desert, and safely completed the grueling 121-km race.
Split into teams A,B and C, they collectively won six awards – Best Popularity Award, Best Original Music Award, Forward Award, 15th Gobi Ambassador Special Award, Endeavour Award and Shackleton Award.
The Endeavour Award is awarded to teams who demonstrate impressive team spirit and high endurance, while the Shackleton Award is awarded to teams that complete the full challenge. It is the sixth time that the NUS team has been presented with the Shackleton Award.
This year, the team A set an NUS record, finishing the race in an impressive 11 hours, 14 minutes and 18 seconds in three days.
One participant Mr Tang Junzhou from the NUS Executive MBA (Chinese) 28th Intake Class recalled, “The race definitely takes a physical toll. On the first day of the journey I had fasciitis on my right leg, by the fourth day, I had developed periostitis on both my calves and four blisters on my feet. Every step was a challenge. Without the encouragement and help of teammates, it would have been hard to persist.” He added that on the way back, he felt like he was being reborn. By pushing past his physical limits, but at the same time letting go, he came to a place of inner relaxation.
Another participant Ms Wu Yingfang from the NUS Executive MBA (Chinese) 27th Intake Class said, “As a 47-year-old female member of Team A, I am proud of myself. This highly intense experience challenges you both physically and mentally, allowing the body and mind to be fully stretched but invigorated.” She concluded by saying, success is not only defined by results, but also by teamwork, action and hard work.
The challenge commemorates the perseverance, vision and action of the monk Xuanzang in his “Journey to West”, which are important qualities for leadership.
