- By Stuart Harratt
- BBC News
Kevin Sinfield left Headingley Stadium shortly after midday
Rugby league star Kevin Sinfield has begun his fourth challenge to raise money to support people affected by motor neurone disease (MND).
The 7 in 7 in 7 Challenge will see the former Leeds Rhinos player run an ultra-marathon every day for seven days in seven cities in December.
It is the latest in a series of runs which have raised over £8m.
Sinfield said running the 40 miles (64km) each day would “be my toughest challenge”.
Rob and Lindsey Burrow were at the start line to cheer Sinfield on his way
“I have not been able to do the amount of training that I have done previously because of my commitments for the World Cup,” he said.
“And we have set an ambitious time target to complete each ultra so people know that we will be pushing ourselves to the limit.
“I am looking forward to it and seeing all the support out on the streets once again. For the MND community, every second counts and we will be making the most of every step on this challenge to raise awareness, funds and support for that community.”
Since his ex-Leeds teammate Rob Burrow was diagnosed with the condition in 2019, Sinfield has raised millions for MND charities.
Sinfield is raising money to pay for a MND centre in Leeds named after his former teammate Rob Burrow
Esther Wakeman, from Leeds Hospitals Charity, said his fundraising efforts were “truly awe-inspiring”.
“Through his series of epic challenges, Kevin has already contributed over £2m to our Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Appeal,” she said.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Kevin for lacing up his running shoes once again to fundraise, as we still need £1.9m to help make Rob’s dream of a specialist centre in Leeds a reality.”
Funds will also be donated to the MND Association as well as the Irish MND Association and a foundation set up by former Scottish rugby player Doddie Weir, who died form the condition last year.
Organisers are aiming to raise £777,777 from the challenge, a reference to Burrow’s shirt number.
The week-long event started on 1 December at the Rhino’s Headingly stadium with a run to York Minster.
It then moves to Cardiff, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Dublin, Brighton before ending with a race from Twickenham Stadium to the Mall in London.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
