Kevin Sinfield caps gruelling SEVENTH ultra marathon with an emotional speech – after running 190.4 miles in seven days in support of best friend Rob Burrow and motor neurone disease charities

The 43-year-old announced that this challenge would be his ‘toughest’ yet
Burrow was diagnosed with the disease in 2019, prompting fundraising aims
The initiative’s ‘7 in 7 in 7’ tag references Burrow’s Leeds Rhinos shirt number

Kevin Sinfield finished a gruelling seven-day seven ultra marathon stint with an emotional speech in aid of finding a cure for motor neurone disease at his finish line on the Mall in London on Thursday afternoon.

The England rugby union defence coach announced his fourth and ‘toughest’ challenge to raise awareness of the disease suffered by his friend and former team-mate Rob Burrows at the beginning of November, and the event has seen him run over 27 miles in Leeds, Cardiff, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Brighton before reaching the capital.

Rugby league legend Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019, and the following year, Sinfield embarked on his first fundraising challenge for his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate, running seven – Burrow’s old shirt number – marathons in seven days around Oldham and Leeds.

In 2021, Sinfield ran 101 miles from Leicester to Leeds in under 24 hours, while last year he completed seven ultramarathons in seven days, starting at Murrayfield and finishing at Old Trafford.

On Thursday, the former Rhinos star travelled from his home base at Twickenham to the famous finish line of the London Marathon in the heart of the city, where he was met by a swarm of supporters to cheer his final furlong of his 190.4 miles.

Kevin Sinfield completed his seventh ultra maraton in as many days on the Mall on Thursday

The England defence coach completed the latest of his gruelling challenges in aid of motor neurone disease

Sinfield collapsed into the arms of his team after finishing the feat and running 190.4 miles

And after completing the ‘7 in 7 in 7’ task, Sinfield described his state of mind as ‘knackered but delighted’.

‘Hello London! Thank you for coming out,’ Sinfield announced to the gathered crowds after catching his breath. ‘We’re all pretty shot, we’re all pretty tired but seeing so many faces along the route it was a massive lift for us all.

‘We all know why we are here and we hope we’ve sent the right message out.

‘The MND community is a beautiful community and it needs all of us to keep fighting. The awareness we’ve generated this week has been enormous and in Rob’s name.

‘Fundraising is so important, we tried to push this morning how important the money is because that’s the thing that’s going to shift the dial, find a cure and make sure families are looked after properly.

‘If you leave with one thought I’d like to say have a great Christmas but also spare a thought for those less fortunate.’

Sinfield has raised over £8million for a selection of motor neurone disease charities, and set a fundraising target of £777,777 for his latest endeavour.

As of 7pm, the 43-year-old has raised £670,691.55 – 86 per cent of his proposed total – which will be split between Motor Neurone Disease Association, Leeds Hospitals Charity, The Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, founded by the late Doddie Weir.

The 43-year-old’s challenge has seen him travel the length of the country to raise awareness

Friend and former team-mate Rob Burrow was with Sinfield at the start of his journey last week

Sinfield and Burrow took part in the Leeds Marathon in June – with Sinfield carrying his friend over the finish line in emotional scenes

Ahead of Thursday’s start, Sinfield implored others to consider how they could help the cause – without undertaking such an extreme challenge.

‘What we have done the last few years as a team has been about raising awareness and funds for this beautiful communit,’ Sinfield shared.

‘But what I would say to you all is you do not have to run marathons, just do your little bit, just help in some way.

‘There is always someone a lot worse off than you who needs our help, so let’s keep fighting together.’

To donate to Kevin Sinfield’s 7 in 7 in 7 fundraiser, go to: donate.giveasyoulive.com

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