World Courant
Russ Cook dinner completes the journey of greater than 16,000 km (9,940 miles) in 352 days, elevating $870,000 for 2 separate charities.
Sore and sandblasted however triumphant, runner Russ Cook dinner has reached the northern tip of Africa, nearly a 12 months after he set out from the southern tip on a quest to cowl your entire continent.
Dozens of supporters gathered on a rocky outcrop subsequent to the Mediterranean Sea in northern Tunisia on Sunday to cheer the British charity fundraiser, who has walked greater than 16,000 km (9,940 miles) throughout 16 international locations in 352 days and is claimed to be the primary particular person to finish the achievement.
“I am somewhat drained,” Cook dinner stated – in all probability an understatement.
Throughout his journey, the 27-year-old endurance athlete from Worthing in southern England crossed jungle and desert, veered out of battle zones and was delayed attributable to theft, accidents and visa issues.
Cook dinner – identified on social media by his nickname Hardest Geezer – took off from Cape Agulhas in South Africa, the southernmost level of the continent, on April 22, 2023. He hoped to finish the journey in 240 days, working the equal of greater than a marathon every day.
Robbed in Angola
Cook dinner and his workforce had cash, passports and gear stolen throughout an armed theft in Angola. In Nigeria he was briefly stopped attributable to again ache. And he was nearly stopped by the dearth of a visa to enter Algeria, earlier than diplomatic intervention from the Algerian embassy in Britain managed to safe the required paperwork.
Cook dinner, who informed how working helped him cope together with his personal psychological well being issues, beforehand ran round 3,000km (1,860 miles) from Istanbul to Worthing in 68 days.
His African run has raised greater than 690,000 kilos ($870,000) for The Working Charity, which helps homeless youth, and Sandblast, a charity serving to displaced individuals from Western Sahara.
“It is fairly arduous to place into phrases, 352 days on the street, not seeing household, my girlfriend, for a very long time,” Cook dinner informed Sky Information as he began working on Sunday, accompanied by supporters who had come from far and extensive to have fun the to run a contest. final half with him.
“My physique is in numerous ache. However yet another day, I do not intend to complain.”
Cook dinner stated he deliberate to have fun with a celebration, the place British band Delicate Play would carry out.
“Tonight we’re having strawberry daiquiris on the seashore,” he stated. “It is going to be surreal.”
British ‘Hardest Geezer’ Completes Africa Run Problem | Information
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