An Olympian and former junior world title athlete - who just so happens to be an MP - were members of the winning team at the inaugural Australian Sports Foundation Pollie Relay Dash.
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More than 50 runners, including ex-Wallaby David Pocock and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Izzi Batt-Doyle, took part in the event outside Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday.
Batt-Doyle was part of the team led by independent MP for Mackellar Sophie Scamps which won the inaugural title.
Ms Scamps, who won a junior world title in the four-by-400m event for Australia in 1990, was also joined in the team by Labor MP for Spence, Matt Burnell.
The race coincided with the Australian Sports Foundation revealing it received a record breaking $76.8 million in donations last financial year, an increase of 51 per cent on the previous year.
The ASF is the country's leading non-profit sport fundraising charity, distributing more than $600m to Australian sports clubs and athletes over 37 years.
Sports Minister Anika Wells, Commonwealth Games marathon champions Jess Stensen and Michael Shelley, and Olympic rowing champion Kim Brennan were also among the runners.
Ms Wells' team came second.
The ASF estimates that by 2032, when Brisbane will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, donations could grow to $300m a year, which would bring it close to the arts sector in terms of philanthropy.
"I am particularly pleased to see the growth in donations to community sports and the projects that are directly increasing the participation of girls and women around Australia," Ms Wells said.
"The support for athletes with a disability and for new teams like the Paramatildas, who were given a huge boost by donors to compete on the world stage and inspire other young Australians, is a fantastic example of how donations can support athletes to realise their dreams."
Australian Associated Press
