Kevin Sinfield completes Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon as MND fundraising continues

Kevin Sinfield was among over 14,000 people participating at the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon on Sunday as fundraising efforts continued for his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Burrow was originally meant to join Sinfield at the 25-mile mark but was unable to, due to warm weather and logistics.

He instead was waiting at the finish line at Headingley, where one of his daughters handed Sinfield his medal.

Last year saw emotional scenes with Sinfield lifting his friend out of his specially adapted wheelchair and carrying him over his shoulder as the pair completed the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon together.

Sinfield, who ran seven ultramarathons in as many days in seven cities around Britain and Ireland in early December, has raised more than £15million since his friend was diagnosed with the incurable and life-limiting condition in December 2019.

Burrow and Sinfield’s former Rhinos team-mate Jamie Jones-Buchanan also completed the course on Sunday, alongside his wife.

Marathon runners started the event at 9am before half-marathon runners, including Burrow’s wife Lindsey, began an hour later.

Sinfield said in video posted by the MND Association on X: “We can’t thank people enough, the volunteers, people who have helped create this today, every single runner who has put that hard work in and then those on the streets who have helped make it such a special day again.”

Asked if any more challenges were in the pipeline, he replied: “We haven’t announced one yet but we are going to go again so watch this space.”