Latest news with #SergioAguiar
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Diogo Jota's heartwarming message of support to father of Southport stabbing victim as he ran London Marathon in her memory
Late Liverpool star Diogo Jota has been characterised as a kind and humble soul in the hours since he died in a horrifying crash on a Spanish dual carriageway. But the 28-year-old forward's capacity for compassion was probably best exemplified earlier this year with a simple gesture of good luck for a fellow father - albeit one in a situation no parent would ever want to be in. Sergio Aguiar, the father of nine-year-old Southport stabbing victim Alice da Silva Aguiar, was gearing up to run the London Marathon in his daughter's memory, raising funds for a playground to be built in her name at her school. Running 26 miles is hard enough - not least in the tragic circumstances in which Sergio found himself. But in the weeks ahead of the marathon, late Liverpool and one-time Porto FC forward Jota took the time to prepare a special message for Sergio - which was broadcast to him as a surprise live on television. Appearing on BBC Breakfast in March, one month before the race, Sergio told the programme that he was raising the funds for Churchtown Primary School because it had been a 'second home' to her. 'People are so kind,' Sergio had said of the local community in Southport in the months after the shocking and devastating attack which unfolded last August. 'They come up to me and say, "Well done, the playground will be amazing".' However, he probably had not expected to hear from one of his heroes, whose name is emblazoned on a Porto FC shirt he keeps at home, as the interview ended. Jota, alongside fellow Portuguese footballer and Everton striker Beto, had prepared messages to be played to Sergio live on air. 'Many, many people are supporting you, from all walks of life,' presenter Charlie Stayt told him. 'You're going to hear from two people who have good-luck messages for you, two footballers you will know who are both Portuguese.' Jota - himself a father of three children - then appeared on screen. Filming from Liverpool's training facilities on his phone, he smiled warmly as he said: 'Hello Sergio, I just heard you were about to run the London Marathon for an amazing cause.' Raising his fist and grinning, he added: 'We are all with you here at Liverpool, so go on and do your best!' Beto, speaking in Portuguese, added: 'Beto here from Everton. I want to send you a message to wish you best of luck for the London Marathon. 'What you are doing is fantastic and we hope the training is going well. You have all of the support from everyone at Everton. Take care and best of luck.' Porto FC fan Sergio was gobsmacked to hear from one of his heroes, grinning as the messages were played out. He was lost for words for a few seconds as he was asked for his reaction. Smiling, he said: 'I didn't expect to hear from them. Jota is... because I'm a Porto fan, and he played for Porto, I have his t-shirt. I'm quite happy.' The Churchtown Primary fundraiser had a target of £250,000 when it was launched. As of today, it has raised £372,240 - and remains open to donations. Alongside the playground, it will also feature a library and a performance stage with a tribute to both Alice and bebe. Among the donors are the Prime and Princess of Wales, according to Jinnie Payne, the headteacher at the school. One anonymous donor contributed £10,000. Alongside David Stancombe, father of Southport attack victim Elsie Dot Stancombe, Sergio ran the London Marathon in April with the support of the nation behind them. Wearing a t-shirt bearing his daughter's face, he finished the gruelling race in four hours and five minutes, cheered on by friends and family, among them the parents of Bebe King. Writing on social media in the days after the marathon, he wrote: 'Still taking it all in... The London Marathon was one of the toughest challenges I've faced, but every step was powered by an incredible cause and the overwhelming support from all of you. 'Your cheers, messages, and love carried me through. Thank you from the bottom of our heart - we did this together!'
Sydney Morning Herald
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sergio Aguiar runs the London Marathon in honour of his daughter Alice
Lifestyle Sergio Aguiar, whose daughter Alice was killed during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, speaks out after completing the London Marathon in her honour.
ITV News
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
Tens-of-Thousands of runners, celebrities and campaigners cross the London Marathon finish line
Tens-of-thousands of people crossed the finish line of the London Marathon on Sunday including celebrities, MPs and campaigners. More than 56,000 participants were expected on the 26.2-mile course as temperatures in the capital hit 22.2C. Among them were David Stancombe and Sergio Aguiar, whose daughters Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were murdered in the Southport mass stabbing last summer. The pair are raising money for projects in memory of their daughters and Bebe King, six, who was also killed in the July attack. In a video message posted on X, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wished the pair 'the very best of luck', adding, 'the entire nation is in awe of your courage and your resilience'. The Prince and Princess of Wales also sent the family a "special message" and had also donated to Elsie's Story, a charity that supports young people in Southport. Running alongside them was Junnie Payne the headteacher of Churchtown Primary School where Alice and Bebe attended. Celebrities Some familiar faces were also seen crossing the finish line and collecting their medals including radio presenter Adele Roberts who said she hopes her world record-breaking marathon runs show people with cancer they can 'achieve anything'. Roberts, who was previously treated for bowel cancer, broke the record for the fastest aggregate time to complete all World Marathon Major races with a stoma (female), upon completing the London Marathon. She added: 'I've been through much, in terms of recovering from cancer, and with every step even though it hurt, I just thought 'you're alive, you're lucky to be experiencing this', so it was lovely.' Other famous faces included comedian and TV presenter Romesh Ranganathan, McFly drummer Harry Judd, former England footballer John Terry, actor Stephen Mangan, singer Alexandra Burke, TV presenter Helen Skelton, and fitness coach Joe Wicks also finished the race. The Masked Singer presenter Joel Dommett, who was running to raise money and awareness for Brain Tumour Support, said he fainted before reaching the finish line. He wrote on Instagram: 'Not the race I expected! I fainted at mile 17 – don't really remember much but I woke up in an ambulance!" "Proud of myself for finishing." Emmerdale star Tony Audenshaw, who last ran the London Marathon in 2015, returned to support Pancreatic Cancer UK, the event's charity of the year, after the death of his wife Ruth in April 2017 aged 43. While fellow soap actor, Adam Woodyatt, who plays Ian Beale in EastEnders also finished the race. 16 MPs also took part in the race including shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick and Labour's Josh Fenton-Glyn. Fancy Dress If the challenge of running a marathon alone wasn't enough, some runners completed the race wearing fancy dress in the 22 degree heat. Costumes spotted racing down the Mall included a group dressed as a colourful caterpillar, a pair dressed as shower gel bottles, a t-rex costume and Big Ben. A man who has run 113 marathons dressed as a rhino said people were a 'little bit shocked' by him in costume on the Tube on the way to the start line. Chris Green, who is known as Rhino Boy Chris and is an ambassador for charity Save the Rhinos, holds the world record for the most marathons run in the same three-dimensional costume (male). The costume, a large grey rhino outfit complete with large horn, was adorned on Sunday with a Union flag and hat. He added: 'You know what the best thing about wearing this costume is it brings out the big kid in everybody – if ever you're feeling cynical about the world, put on a rhino costume and I guarantee you'll see the best in people.' Also hoping to have achieved a Guinness World Record today is Ali Young, 51, who was attempting to break the world record for the fastest woman to run a marathon dressed as a bird. The runner, from Amersham in Buckinghamshire, completed the race dressed as a penguin and said the atmosphere at the event was 'absolutely amazing'. Ms Young is fundraising on behalf of Maggie's Cancer Care in memory of her late father. The Winners Setting off before the crowds was the elite runners and wheelchair races. Ethiopian runner Tigst Assefa won the women's elite race, setting a new women-only world record with a time of two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds. Sebastian Sawe, from Kenya, came first in the men's elite race with a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds. During the men's elite race, two activists jumped the barrier and threw red paint onto Tower Bridge in protest of the Israel-Gaza war. Team GB Olympic triathlon-winner, Alex Yee, 27, finished in 14th place in his first attempt at the distance., with a time of two hours, 11 minutes and eight seconds. Swiss six-time Paralympic champion Catherine Debrunner successfully defended her 2024 title in the elite women's wheelchair race, and her compatriot Marcel Hug did the same in the men's. Crowds of supports lined the streets of London cheering on the runners and waving to their loved ones. As runners crossed the finish line along the Mall, emotions ran high with a mixture of jubilance and exhaustion with some becoming emotional and shedding tears as they collected their medals. London could set a new record for the world's biggest marathon, which is currently held by the TCS New York Marathon in November when there were 55,646 finishers.
Belfast Telegraph
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Thousands cross finish line of London Marathon as temperatures hit 22.2C
More than 56,000 participants were expected on the 26.2-mile course, including celebrities, MPs and the fathers of two girls killed in the Southport attack. Crowds of supporters, many holding banners, have lined the streets of the city to cheer on the runners and wave to their loved ones. London could set a new record for the world's biggest marathon, which is currently held by the TCS New York Marathon in November when there were 55,646 finishers. Among the participants are David Stancombe and Sergio Aguiar, whose daughters Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were murdered in the Southport mass stabbing last summer. They are raising money for projects in memory of their daughters and Bebe King, six, who was also killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July. In a video message posted on X, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wished the pair 'the very best of luck', adding, 'the entire nation is in awe of your courage and your resilience'. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Mr Stancombe said: 'Even now it still blows me away that so many people know about it and you're getting messages from the Prime Minister.' Among this year's celebrity participants was radio presenter Adele Roberts who said she hopes her world record-breaking marathon runs show people with cancer they can 'achieve anything'. Roberts, who was previously treated for bowel cancer, broke the record for the fastest aggregate time to complete all World Marathon Major races with a stoma (female), upon completing the London Marathon. She added: 'I just kept thinking all the way round – the pain's a privilege. 'I've been through much, in terms of recovering from cancer, and with every step even though it hurt, I just thought 'you're alive, you're lucky to be experiencing this', so it was lovely.' Many runners compete wearing fancy dress, hoping their quirky outfits may boost their fundraising efforts for their chosen charities. Costumes on Sunday included a group dressed as a colourful caterpillar, a pair dressed as shower gel bottles and a man dressed as a rhino, while some carried items including a fridge and large teddy bears. Ali Young, 51, who was attempting to break the world record of the fastest woman to run a marathon dressed as a bird, said her jaw 'hurt from smiling' throughout the race. The runner, from Amersham in Buckinghamshire, completed the race dressed in a black and white penguin costume and said the atmosphere at the event was 'absolutely amazing', she added. 'My jaw hurts from smiling, you just smile the whole way and so many people were shouting 'penguin', all the kids.' Ms Young is fundraising on behalf of Maggie's Cancer Care in memory of her late father and is waiting for the Guinness World Record team to verify her attempt. A man who has run 113 marathons dressed as a rhino said people were a 'little bit shocked' by him in costume on the Tube on the way to the start line. Chris Green, who is known as Rhino Boy Chris and is an ambassador for charity Save the Rhinos, holds the world record for the most marathons run in the same three-dimensional costume (male). The costume, a large grey rhino outfit complete with large horn, was adorned on Sunday with a Union flag and hat. He added: 'You know what the best thing about wearing this costume is it brings out the big kid in everybody – if ever you're feeling cynical about the world, put on a rhino costume and I guarantee you'll see the best in people.' Many supporters chose light-hearted slogans for their banners, including one that bore the words 'whine now, wine later'. Celebrity participants included Emmerdale star Tony Audenshaw, who last ran the London Marathon in 2015 but has returned to fundraise for Pancreatic Cancer UK, the event's charity of the year, after the death of his wife Ruth in April 2017 aged 43. Comedian and TV presenter Romesh Ranganathan, McFly drummer Harry Judd, former England footballer John Terry and singer Alexandra Burke also took part. Two pro-Palestine activists jumped over the barriers separating spectators from the race course and threw red powder paint on to Tower Bridge in front of the men's elite race, the group Youth Demand said. An image shared by the group showed two people standing in the middle of the road wearing T-shirts bearing the words 'Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel.' The pair were quickly arrested by police, the group said, while marathon organisers said the event 'was not impacted in any way'. Ethiopian runner Tigst Assefa won the women's elite race, setting a new women-only world record with a time of two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds. Sebastian Sawe, from Kenya, came first in the men's elite race with a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds. Sixteen MPs were also among those running, including Labour's Josh Fenton-Glyn, Conservative Harriet Cross, Liberal Democrat Tom Gordon and shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick. Last year, TCS London Marathon raised a record-breaking £73.5 million, bringing the cumulative total raised since the first race in 1981 to more than £1.3 billion, according to organisers.
The Independent
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Thousands cross finish line of London Marathon as temperatures hit 22.2C
Thousands of runners have crossed the finishing line of the 45th TCS London Marathon as temperatures hit 22.2C in the capital. More than 56,000 participants were expected on the 26.2-mile course, including celebrities, MPs and the fathers of two girls killed in the Southport attack. Crowds of supporters, many holding banners, have lined the streets of the city to cheer on the runners and wave to their loved ones. London could set a new record for the world's biggest marathon, which is currently held by the TCS New York Marathon in November when there were 55,646 finishers. Among the participants are David Stancombe and Sergio Aguiar, whose daughters Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were murdered in the Southport mass stabbing last summer. They are raising money for projects in memory of their daughters and Bebe King, six, who was also killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July. In a video message posted on X, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wished the pair 'the very best of luck', adding, 'the entire nation is in awe of your courage and your resilience'. In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Mr Stancombe said: 'Even now it still blows me away that so many people know about it and you're getting messages from the Prime Minister.' Among this year's celebrity participants was radio presenter Adele Roberts who said she hopes her world record-breaking marathon runs show people with cancer they can 'achieve anything'. Roberts, who was previously treated for bowel cancer, broke the record for the fastest aggregate time to complete all World Marathon Major races with a stoma (female), upon completing the London Marathon. She added: 'I just kept thinking all the way round – the pain's a privilege. 'I've been through much, in terms of recovering from cancer, and with every step even though it hurt, I just thought 'you're alive, you're lucky to be experiencing this', so it was lovely.' Many runners compete wearing fancy dress, hoping their quirky outfits may boost their fundraising efforts for their chosen charities. Costumes on Sunday included a group dressed as a colourful caterpillar, a pair dressed as shower gel bottles and a man dressed as a rhino, while some carried items including a fridge and large teddy bears. Ali Young, 51, who was attempting to break the world record of the fastest woman to run a marathon dressed as a bird, said her jaw 'hurt from smiling' throughout the race. The runner, from Amersham in Buckinghamshire, completed the race dressed in a black and white penguin costume and said the atmosphere at the event was 'absolutely amazing', she added. 'My jaw hurts from smiling, you just smile the whole way and so many people were shouting 'penguin', all the kids.' Ms Young is fundraising on behalf of Maggie's Cancer Care in memory of her late father and is waiting for the Guinness World Record team to verify her attempt. A man who has run 113 marathons dressed as a rhino said people were a 'little bit shocked' by him in costume on the Tube on the way to the start line. Chris Green, who is known as Rhino Boy Chris and is an ambassador for charity Save the Rhinos, holds the world record for the most marathons run in the same three-dimensional costume (male). The costume, a large grey rhino outfit complete with large horn, was adorned on Sunday with a Union flag and hat. He added: 'You know what the best thing about wearing this costume is it brings out the big kid in everybody – if ever you're feeling cynical about the world, put on a rhino costume and I guarantee you'll see the best in people.' Many supporters chose light-hearted slogans for their banners, including one that bore the words 'whine now, wine later'. Celebrity participants included Emmerdale star Tony Audenshaw, who last ran the London Marathon in 2015 but has returned to fundraise for Pancreatic Cancer UK, the event's charity of the year, after the death of his wife Ruth in April 2017 aged 43. Comedian and TV presenter Romesh Ranganathan, McFly drummer Harry Judd, former England footballer John Terry and singer Alexandra Burke also took part. Two pro-Palestine activists jumped over the barriers separating spectators from the race course and threw red powder paint on to Tower Bridge in front of the men's elite race, the group Youth Demand said. An image shared by the group showed two people standing in the middle of the road wearing T-shirts bearing the words 'Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel.' The pair were quickly arrested by police, the group said, while marathon organisers said the event 'was not impacted in any way'. Ethiopian runner Tigst Assefa won the women's elite race, setting a new women-only world record with a time of two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds. Sebastian Sawe, from Kenya, came first in the men's elite race with a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds. Sixteen MPs were also among those running, including Labour's Josh Fenton-Glyn, Conservative Harriet Cross, Liberal Democrat Tom Gordon and shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick. Last year, TCS London Marathon raised a record-breaking £73.5 million, bringing the cumulative total raised since the first race in 1981 to more than £1.3 billion, according to organisers.
