Rugby league legend Sir Kevin Sinfield was closing in on the £777,777 target of his latest fundraising venture on the fourth day of his seven-day ultramarathon challenge, with more than £760,000 already raised. The 46-year-old called it his hardest day yet as he completed over 54km (33.5 miles) before arriving at the Accu stadium in Huddersfield.
Supporters join the final leg
His leg took him from Horsfall Community Stadium, home of Bradford Park Avenue, where hundreds of MND Association charity supporters joined him for an 'extra mile' around the running track. He told them how much their support meant to him and his team, joking: "Don't forget to stop me for a selfie."
He then set off followed by a posse of supporters wearing the orange colours of MND Association, with hundreds more lining the streets in bright sunshine to cheer him on.
Supporter praises 'miracle worker'
Simon Kaye, 68, of nearby Howarth, one of those who met Sir Kevin, described him as a miracle worker. He said: "I don't think anyone could have attracted the kind of attention that he has achieved for MND. He has carried on the work of his best friend Rob Burrow and together their fundraising has built the new centre in Leeds which is fantastic. He is a ray of sunshine."
Simon was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), the same slow form of the disease which afflicted scientist Stephen Hawking, who died in 2018 aged 76.
Royal visit boosts morale
Sir Kevin ended the latest leg in Huddersfield having covered an ultramarathon every day since Sunday. The Prince and Princess of Wales surprised him on Tuesday at Wakefield Trinity rugby league club in West Yorkshire, where William patted him on the shoulder and told him: "Don't hang around for us, go and relax, go and sit down, go and have a shower - well done, honestly, you're amazing."
Kevin said the surprise visit had given him a real boost as he continues his quest to raise money for motor neurone disease charities in memory of his friend and Leeds Rhinos legend Rob, who lost his battle with the condition aged 41 in 2024. They have already raised £30 million between them, with Rob's efforts giving £20m before he died, and Sir Kevin adding another £11m before his latest run.
