Cerebral palsy runner from Southampton to take on London Marathon

Lucy_Scope

From Daily Echo

A runner with cerebral palsy from Southampton is set to take on the London Marathon while attempting a new Guinness World Record.

Gus McKechnie is a qualified American football referee and will be using some of his own kit for his record, running as the fastest CIH athlete dressed as a referee.

Gus, who runs for Hamwic Harriers, has been preparing for the challenge with his wheelchair rugby club, Solent Sharks, and attending Hot Pod Yoga sessions in the Marlands.

He said: "I have done the London marathon before, but never attempted a record like this. I can only try.

"I had the uniform, so I put the bid in to Guinness.

"The charity I am raising for supports children with disabilities, and they have helped my rugby team in the past, so I wanted to support them for that."

Gus has cerebral palsy, a movement disorder that appears in early childhood.

Though symptoms can vary, they can include poor coordination, stiff and weak muscles and tremors.

"It makes it more challenging because my muscles are stiff down the left side of the body so it makes the endurance aspect more difficult," said Gus.

"The London marathon is something that is exciting to be part of. The support is always great up there, so I am looking forward to it."

He previously ran the London marathon in 2024, and is aiming for a time between five and a half to six hours.

The London Marathon will be held on Sunday, April 27.

So far Gus has raised £140. His fundraising page can be found by searching 'Gus McKechnie JustGiving'.

He is running to raise funds for local charity Wooden Spoon, which transforms the lives of young people with disabilities through a range of projects, namely rugby.

It has 250 active members in Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire and has raised over £840,000 since its inception.