MLA all smiles after London Marathon finish raises vital cash for Air Ambulance NI
DUP MLA Cheryl Brownlee was all smiles after taking on the gruelling London Marathon in aid of Air Ambulance NI.
Tens of thousands of runners crossed the finishing line of the 45th TCS London Marathon, with celebrities, MPs, MLAs, and locals raising money for lost family members and the fathers of two girls killed in the Southport attack taking part.
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Glasgow Times
12 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Alex Yee ‘energised' by London Marathon experience before triathlon return
The Olympic and world champion took time out of his main sport in the spring to fulfil a lifelong ambition by racing around the streets of the capital, and his time of two hours, 11 minutes and eight seconds made him the second fastest British runner. The effort he put into the project left him with peroneal tendinopathy, which causes pain and inflammation of tendons in the foot and ankle, in three places but he is now fully recovered and ready to dip his toe back into triathlon at Saturday's Supertri League race in Toronto. Alex Yee approaches the finish line at the London Marathon (John Walton/PA) Yee told the PA news agency: 'I feel energised, I feel in a really good place. 'I don't think that necessarily means I'm going to come back in and smash the scene up and be at the front, I'm well aware of that, but I think I've just come back with a really good frame of mind about the sport and about where I want to be and how I want to go about it and improve.' Supertri races feature three fast-paced stages in a team environment, providing Yee with a fun reintroduction to the sport before the more serious business of a first World Triathlon Championship Series race of the year on the French Riviera at the end of August. The injury was a small setback but Yee has no regrets about testing himself in a different sport, and believes it can help take his triathlon racing to a new level. 'There were things which I could probably get away with in triathlon that I couldn't get away with in a marathon, which I can now apply to triathlon and hopefully that will make me a better athlete as a result,' he said. 'It was really interesting to take that small step back. You get so used to training in a certain way so, when you take yourself out of a comfort zone and train a little bit differently and you're a little bit worse at it, it's an exciting thing for me.' Whatever the 27-year-old goes on to achieve, it will be hard for him to top the drama of his Olympic gold last summer, when his hopes appeared over only for him to sensationally reel in rival Hayden Wilde over the final few hundred metres. Yee's victory was one of the standout moments of the Games, and it is one he is continually reminded about. 'One moment that really sticks with me is a guy stopped me in Lewisham when I was running for a warm-up to run on – pretty surreal – the track that's now renamed after me,' said Yee. 'He was deleting a load of stuff off his phone to make memory to take a picture and just before he left me he said, 'I really appreciate everything you're doing for Lewisham, watching you was the last memory I have of my dad'. 'It really hit home that that can be such an important moment for somebody in their life. 'I feel like every time I speak to somebody or they stop me on the street, it's such an authentic moment that they're able to talk to me about, a moment of hope or of not giving up, or their children running round the living room or asking for a bike for Christmas because they watched me. 'We live in a tough world at the moment where opportunities are few and far between and our world's becoming a lot more digital so for people to be excited to be outside, to be excited about sport, I think is such a good thing.' Yee, right, with rival Hayden Wilde after their dramatic finish in Paris (David Davies/PA) Yee, who is already the most successful Olympic triathlete ever, has a third Games in Los Angeles in 2028 very much in his sights – and hopefully another gold in less nail-biting circumstances. 'It was an amazing moment and I would never change the finish but I still feel like I had something within me that could have made that race better,' he said of his Paris triumph. 'I'm not finishing that race thinking, 'I'm done, I've completed it', I'm thinking, 'What can I do to be better'? 'I still feel like I have that energy towards the sport and what's exciting me right now is that internal drive to be the best I can be. I know that each year success is rented and you've got to earn that right to be back at the top.'
The Independent
17 hours ago
- The Independent
Alex Yee ‘energised' by London Marathon experience before triathlon return
Alex Yee is ready to throw himself back into triathlon – and hopes his London Marathon experience will make him a better athlete. The Olympic and world champion took time out of his main sport in the spring to fulfil a lifelong ambition by racing around the streets of the capital, and his time of two hours, 11 minutes and eight seconds made him the second fastest British runner. The effort he put into the project left him with peroneal tendinopathy, which causes pain and inflammation of tendons in the foot and ankle, in three places but he is now fully recovered and ready to dip his toe back into triathlon at Saturday's Supertri League race in Toronto. Yee told the PA news agency: 'I feel energised, I feel in a really good place. 'I don't think that necessarily means I'm going to come back in and smash the scene up and be at the front, I'm well aware of that, but I think I've just come back with a really good frame of mind about the sport and about where I want to be and how I want to go about it and improve.' Supertri races feature three fast-paced stages in a team environment, providing Yee with a fun reintroduction to the sport before the more serious business of a first World Triathlon Championship Series race of the year on the French Riviera at the end of August. The injury was a small setback but Yee has no regrets about testing himself in a different sport, and believes it can help take his triathlon racing to a new level. 'There were things which I could probably get away with in triathlon that I couldn't get away with in a marathon, which I can now apply to triathlon and hopefully that will make me a better athlete as a result,' he said. 'It was really interesting to take that small step back. You get so used to training in a certain way so, when you take yourself out of a comfort zone and train a little bit differently and you're a little bit worse at it, it's an exciting thing for me.' Whatever the 27-year-old goes on to achieve, it will be hard for him to top the drama of his Olympic gold last summer, when his hopes appeared over only for him to sensationally reel in rival Hayden Wilde over the final few hundred metres. Yee's victory was one of the standout moments of the Games, and it is one he is continually reminded about. 'One moment that really sticks with me is a guy stopped me in Lewisham when I was running for a warm-up to run on – pretty surreal – the track that's now renamed after me,' said Yee. 'He was deleting a load of stuff off his phone to make memory to take a picture and just before he left me he said, 'I really appreciate everything you're doing for Lewisham, watching you was the last memory I have of my dad'. 'It really hit home that that can be such an important moment for somebody in their life. 'I feel like every time I speak to somebody or they stop me on the street, it's such an authentic moment that they're able to talk to me about, a moment of hope or of not giving up, or their children running round the living room or asking for a bike for Christmas because they watched me. 'We live in a tough world at the moment where opportunities are few and far between and our world's becoming a lot more digital so for people to be excited to be outside, to be excited about sport, I think is such a good thing.' Yee, who is already the most successful Olympic triathlete ever, has a third Games in Los Angeles in 2028 very much in his sights – and hopefully another gold in less nail-biting circumstances. 'It was an amazing moment and I would never change the finish but I still feel like I had something within me that could have made that race better,' he said of his Paris triumph. 'I'm not finishing that race thinking, 'I'm done, I've completed it', I'm thinking, 'What can I do to be better'? 'I still feel like I have that energy towards the sport and what's exciting me right now is that internal drive to be the best I can be. I know that each year success is rented and you've got to earn that right to be back at the top.'
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Leader Live
Wrexham dad takes on marathon mission for Hope House
For his next challenge, Matt Jones, from Wrexham, will be power hiking 26 marathons consecutively in 26 days, from John O'Groats to London with the fridge freezer on his back, finishing with the London Marathon itself on April 26, 2026. Matt's last challenge called 'One Bet' saw him complete a 112km walk across the Clwydian Range with the fridge, including 15,000ft of elevation gain, to honour a bet he made with his late wife Vicky and their four children. Matt Jones on his last challenge. Vicky passed away in December 2024. Highlighting her mantra of "never be normal, never be boring", and setting a positive example to his children drove Matt to raising an incredible £75,000 for Hope House Tŷ Gobaith. Announcing the new challenge, Matt said: "This isn't just a stunt - it's a tribute from me and children to Vicky. "It's about strength in the face of loss. It's about the families supported by Hope House. "It's a reminder that with the right team, the right cause, and a bit of madness - anything is possible." He added: "Doing the Llangollen challenge genuinely helped me a lot. But after our visit to Hope House, we were inspired to do something else. "I popped a message in a WhatsApp chat I have with my support crew and the idea of going from Llangollen to London for the Marathon came up. "The guys humoured me, saying it wasn't far enough, and all downhill to the Capital. Read more: Wrexham man's bike trek boost raises over £6,000 for charities "So we thought, where is the furthest place in Britain from London? John O'Groats, Scotland. "My brother-in-law, Simon, worked it out that the distance is exactly that of 26 marathons - so there it was. "Coming back from visiting Hope House with the kids, we spoke about it and stopped the car. I asked them, 'are we going to do this?' and the answer was a resounding 'yes'." Matt Jones aka Fridge Freezer Man and his 'Wolfpack' present their fundraising cheque at Hope House. Matt said: "This challenge really is the next level for us as a team. It's over 1,000km. "But, with the support of my crew and The Wolfpack (my children) I know we can do it. "The training plan has started. I'm mostly worried how the feet and prosthetic hip will hold up… physically and mentally I know we can do this. Read more: Flintshire teenager completes Three Peaks Challenge in under 30 hours "I've got a few big hitters lined up to join me in support and spread the message. "Expect a few surprises and stunts along the way." Hope House Tŷ Gobaith fundraiser, Vicky Bradbeer, said: "This is the biggest and most intense fundraising challenge I've seen. "Matt's reasoning for doing the challenges is so meaningful and we are incredibly grateful to him. Read more: Putting on the 'greatest show' for children's hospice fundraiser "Vicky, his children, all his family, friends and team must be immensely proud of him - as are we. "Everything this incredible test raises will go directly to providing professional care and respite for local children and families living with a life-threatening condition. "Our mission is to reach every child and family we can and give them support to live their best possible lives and from the point of diagnosis." To follow Matt's epic adventures, search Fridge Freezer Man on Facebook and Instagram. You can donate to his hospice fundraising page at:
