Poignant gesture at the marathon: A former rugby star is carried across the finish line by his buddy. There is a tragic fate behind it.
It was the scene of the day in Leeds, central England: when Kevin Sinfield lifted his friend Rob Burrow out of the special wheelchair shortly before the end of the marathon and carried him across the finish line of the marathon named after Burrow, the spectators at Headingley Stadium stood up and donated thunderous applause. Sinfield hugged the 40-year-old former rugby player tightly to his chest, whispered something in his ear and planted a kiss on his cheek. The spectators were moved to tears.
Rob Burrow is a sports legend in the UK. One of the smallest rugby players, he rose to become one of the greatest in his sport. Burrow is only 1.65 meters tall, but thanks to his agility and assertiveness on the field he has won numerous titles in the English rugby league and was even made an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) after his career, a kind of accolade .
He retired in 2017 after playing more than 400 games for his club Leeds Rhinos and the England national rugby team. Two years later he made his serious illness public. Burrow was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative nerve disease that causes progressive muscle wasting, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and eventually death. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, has no cure.
“I’m so thankful for all the support”
This is exactly what Burrow wants to change. After learning of his diagnosis, he did everything he could to raise awareness, raise funds, and support ALS research. He is supported by Kevin Sinfield, his former teammate and now the English rugby team’s defensive coach.
Both Burrow and Sinfield have played their entire careers for one club, the Leeds Rhinos – and the two friends remain close after their sporting careers. Sinfield has already raised more than £8m (€9.1m) for charity, including by running seven ultra marathons in a row last November. He donated all of the money he raised to ALS research.
With their commitment, the two ex-athletes not only drew public attention to the rare disease. “The money also gives those affected a bit of hope,” Sinfield said in an interview with The Guardian. “In the past, these people were often left alone with their illness. Now they no longer have to be ashamed, they can hope that at some point there will be a drug that will stop the disease.”
A visibly moved friend
Sinfield was also instrumental in organizing the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon, which debuted in 2023 and attracted 12,000 entries. At first, the organizers weren’t sure if anyone would even register for the event, but then the starting places were sold out within a short time.
“Leeds is such a wonderful city. I’m so grateful for all the support my family and I, but also everyone from ALS sufferers, get,” Burrow said before the start of the 42.2-kilometer run.
Although the illness in the former sports star is apparently progressing rapidly, he insisted on taking part in the marathon himself. He was pushed across the track by a team of former rugby colleagues, including 42-year-old Sinfield. It wasn’t about the competition. “I don’t give a damn about the time we’re going to run,” Sinfield said. “The longer the run, the more time Rob and I can spend together. And we’re going to have a lot of fun, that’s for sure.”
