HE’S DONE IT – MATT COMPLETES HIS MARATHON CHALLENGE
Matt Hampson crested his own Everest by finishing the TCS London Marathon with his team of support runners on Sunday.
With assistance from support team Carl Brierley-Lewis, James Sutliff, Amy Bishop and Paul Cowling, and alongside horseracing legend Sir AP McCoy, Matt crossed the finish line in a time of 4hr 50min.
The Matt Hampson Foundation also had another 20 beneficiaries, staff and supporters who completed the event wearing its red, black and white colours on the roads of London.
“It has been an unbelievable experience,” said Matt who was paralysed from the neck down in a rugby accident with the England Under-21 squad in 2005 and requires a ventilator to assist his breathing.
Incredible support
He created the Foundation as a charity to support young people following life-changing injury in sport and opened its Get Busy Living Centre in 2018 as a base for physical and emotional rehabilitation.
“The atmosphere on the course was incredible,” Matt added.
“It has taken a big team effort even to get to the startline and it was just awesome to be involved and to share it with so many people who are dear to me.”
Leicester Tigers and England rugby players Jack van Poortvliet and Freddie Steward, who are also Foundation ambassadors, joined family, friends and supporters to welcome each of the team after collecting their medals on the finish line.
Matt’s story generated a high level of interest in the build-up and he was interviewed live for BBC coverage at the start and finish as well as at the Cutty Sark landmark during the 26-mile event.
Every donation helps
With valuable support from Foundation partners Barratt Redrow and Furniture Village, Matt’s mission was to increase awareness of his Foundation’s work while also fundraising to take that assistance even further with an extension of facilities at its Get Busy Living Centre near Melton Mowbray this year and continued development of its regional satellite hubs.
That fundraising topped £100,000 on the eve of the marathon and Matt’s JustGiving page is still open. Every donation helps to change young lives.
Sir AP McCoy was inspired to run his first marathon after seeing how the Foundation has helped his good friend and fellow jockey Graham Lee since injury. He posted on social media: “Great day with Matt Hampson. Much more enjoyable than I thought it would be, but I will not be doing another one! Thank you for all the kind donations to the Matt Hampson Foundation.”
It was a landmark day, too, in athletics history as Sabastian Sawe from Kenya became the first man to beat two hours in a competitive race over the distance, crossing the line in one hour 59 minutes 30 seconds, more than a minute faster than the previous world record.
Could it be your turn?
If Matt and his team have motivated you to get involved, the ballot for entries is open now until 4.00pm on Friday 1st May. Results are announced by early July. The Foundation would love it if you wanted to take part as a supporter. The 2027 marathon is on Sunday 25th April.
