Kevin Sinfield completes 7 in 7 in 7 challenge to help those affected by motor neurone disease
Kevin Sinfield has raised over £8m to help those affected by motor neurone disease since beginning challenges in 2020; former Leeds Rhinos player completes seventh ultra-marathon in as many days, finishing at The Mall in London; Sinfield says "never say never" about another run
Last Updated: 07/12/23 8:36pm
Kevin Sinfield has completed his latest fundraising challenge to help people living with motor neurone disease by running his seventh ultra-marathon in as many days across seven different cities.
The former rugby league star, 43, crossed the finishing line at The Mall in London on Thursday afternoon having also ran 27-mile routes in Leeds, Cardiff, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Dublin and Brighton over the last week.
Sinfield has been inspired to take on a series of sapping challenges after his great friend and former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019.
The target this time was to raise £777,777 and the Motor Neurone Disease Association has confirmed that total has been exceeded through online and other donations
Sinfield has raised more than £8m in total since beginning his challenges in late 2020.
'Money is the thing that will shift the dial and find a cure'
He told the crowd on Thursday after finishing his fourth fundraiser: "You all know why we're here. Hopefully 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 have generated this week has been enormous again 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 for us. That's the thing that's going to get us a cure.
"It's also the thing that's going to make sure families are looked after properly, If there's one thing you leave with today from our team, it's that."
The charities supported by this latest challenge include the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds.
Donations will also go to the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, the Irish MND Association, the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, and the 4ED campaign, with the latter supporting former Leicester rugby union player Ed Slater.
Slater, who also represented Gloucester and Nottingham, was diagnosed with MND in 2022.
Each leg comprised 27 miles - the conventional marathon distance with an extra mile added to signify how much further people can go to help friends in need - with the aim being to complete it in under four hours.
Thursday's course took the team from Twickenham to Africa Gate on The Mall via Hyde Park, Bond Street, Regent Street, Leicester Square, Tower Bridge, Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square with former England cricketer Stuart Broad and Rugby Union World Cup winner Will Greenwood among the guests who joined them.
Sinfield: There is a big possibility we will go again
So, does Sinfield plan any further challenges?
He added: "I think we will see. What I am really conscious of is the team have put so much into the last four that we have done and I can't do it on my own. I know we are extremely passionate about what we have done.
"I will never say never - there is a big possibility we will go again. We are really conscious that we are really passionate about the MND community and how we can help it, whether that is through running or not, we are not sure.
"We want to raise the awareness, we want to change how people feel about the MND community. But if we are really going to help them, then we need to continue to raise money so that they can find a cure."
"Wherever we have been now, we have had unbelievable support, especially from the MND community, so that needs to continue in some way, shape or form."
To donate to Kevin Sinfield's 7 in 7 in 7 quest, visit https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/kevin-sinfield
