Prime Minister of Iceland Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson and Minister of Culture and Education Illugi Gunnarsson competed in the exercise competition Lífshlaupið at Hamraskóli in the Reykjavík suburb of Grafarvogur yesterday, mbl.is reports.
Sigmundur Davíð, who won, competed in the mismatching shoes—a black dress shoe and a black Nike sports shoe—he wore to meet US President Barack Obama in September 2013. Sigmundur was photographed with Obama and the Nordic leaders wearing the shows, news of which garnered international media coverage. Sigmundur’s assistant, Jóhannes Þór Skúlason, explained that one of Sigmundur’s feet was swollen due to an infection and that he had not been making a fashion statement.
The Prime Minister later auctioned off one of the mismatching shoes for the campaign Á allra vörum, collecting money for a special emergency department for the mentally ill at Landspítali National University Hospital.
Lífshlaupið is a health and motivation project organized by the National Olympic and Sports Association of Iceland. The aim of the initiative is to encourage the public to exercise every day and increase movement during free time, housework, work and school.
The project is divided into different categories: primary school, secondary school, workplace and individuals.
A photo of the shoes can be seen here.
