1000k. Two Runners. One Mission: End Modern Slavery.
This October, two extraordinary athletes will lace up their shoes in Sydney and not stop running until they reach Melbourne, 1,019 kilometres later.
Ultra-marathon runners Sia Kindberg and Matt Knight will take on one of the most demanding endurance challenges of their careers, running from Sydney to Melbourne between 2 and 22 October 2026 to raise funds and awareness for Hagar Australia.
Right now, 50 million people are trapped in some form of modern slavery. That's the highest number ever recorded in human history. They are hidden in supply chains, locked behind closed doors, exploited in fields and factories and homes, unseen by most of the world.
Hagar sees them.
For 30 years, Hagar has been working across Asia to prevent slavery and walk alongside survivors of trafficking, exploitation, and abuse. Through trauma-informed care, education, and long-term support, we help survivors heal, grow, and lead.
Sia and Matt are running to make that work possible for more people.
Meet Sia Kindberg
Sia was born in Bangkok, raised across Thailand, Sweden, Germany, and Greece, and landed in Australia as a backpacker in 2003, and decided to stay. A single mother of two, interior designer, and speaker of five languages, Sia is one of this country's most tenacious endurance athletes. With more than 50 ultras behind her, she made history in February 2024 as the first Australian to complete the Ice Ultra — a 230km self-sufficient race across frozen Arctic tundra in temperatures as low as -40°C. She runs because she believes in doing the things that matter now, not waiting for the right moment.
Meet Matt Knight
Matt is a British-born ultra-endurance athlete with close to 80 races under his belt — including the brutal Marathon des Sables and the Jungle Ultra. He's also rowed the entire length of the Amazon River across three countries, raising funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital and other charities along the way.
Every dollar raised goes directly toward Hagar's programs, supporting survivors to rebuild their lives and break the cycle of exploitation for good.