A young sailing instructor with a passion for the maritime industry is preparing to lace up his running shoes to compete in the Bermuda Half-Marathon Derby for a charitable cause.

MaLahku Selassie, 21, took on a rigorous training routine, which included running to work at Dockyard, where he works as a first mate with Sail Bermuda.

He will run the half-marathon to raise awareness and funds for Endeavour, a charity that aims to make sailing experiences accessible to all children while providing them with Stem and arts-centric learning.

Mr Selassie, from Somerset, told The Royal Gazette yesterday that he will enter the 13-mile course as a rookie.

He said: “I have heard a lot about it in the past. I don’t necessarily do a lot of running, but I do play football.”

Mr Selassie added: “I felt like this is a good time to challenge myself to see where I am physically.

“I felt it would be a really good idea to check Endeavour as a charity to do some fundraising for because I’ve worked with them in the past and I have really good connections with them.”

He said: “I thoroughly support Endeavour’s cause, so that was one of the main reasons I’m doing it and supporting them on this run.”

Mr Selassie expected tough competition from other runners.

He explained: “I believe this would be a major challenge for me. Like I said, this would be my very first-time taking part in the event. I’m just going to try my best.

“I have high hopes for the race. The challenge is running the whole way and it’s really about keeping consistent and just going all the way.”

Mr Selassie’s friend, Matt Stephens, one of his instructors at Endeavour in 2022, will run alongside him tomorrow.

He said the distance he covered while running to work was about a third of the length of the half-marathon.

He added: “I’ve been running pretty good, so it’s something I am looking forward to.”

Mr Selassie completed Endeavour’s Maritime Springboard programme about two years ago.

He secured internationally recognised qualifications including the Royal Yachting Association Dinghy Instructor certificate.

After completing the programme, he worked with Endeavour as a programme instructor intern, inspiring younger students through its Stem education and youth sailing programmes.

He described the programme as a “zero-to-hero course”.

Mr Selassie explained: “You didn’t have to go into the course knowing anything about the maritime industry but it kind of got you up to speed with learning how to sail.”

He added: “You gain a lot of experience and knowledge of the industry as well as skills to apply them to jobs.”

Jennifer Pitcher, the executive director of Endeavour, described Mr Selassie as “an exceptional young Bermudian”.

She said: “MaLahku exhibits an incredibly positive demeanour and he is focused on working hard towards his goals.

“We are truly inspired by his passion for the maritime industry and his commitment to give back to the community.”

Ms Pitcher added: “We are very grateful that he has chosen to raise funds and awareness for Endeavour through his participation in the Bermuda Day half-marathon.

“We are very proud of MaLahku's extraordinary accomplishments and we wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”

• Anyone interested in supporting MaLahku Selassie’s charitable cause, can visitgogetfunding.com and search for Support Endeavour: Making Sailing Accessible for All