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22nd April 2024
02:17pm BST
A teenager with Down’s Syndrome has made running history after completing the London marathon.
Lloyd Martin, 19, became the youngest person ever in his learning disability category to complete a marathon when he crossed the iconic Mall finish line on Sunday.
After finishing the marathon, he was presented with a certificate by Guinness World Records which officially confirmed he had become the youngest person to complete a marathon in the intellectual impairment category (II2).
Lloyd’s mum Ceri Hooper had acted as his guide during the run, and said the teen had “achieved his dream.”
She said: “Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. With a bit of work, you can achieve it.”
Ceri, who has represented Wales in cross country and track races, said her son managed to run “continuously for 14 miles which is the longest he’s ever run before.”
She added: “He got the crowd going, cheering for him. It was tough, but we had a ball.”
Incredibly, Lloyd managed to get himself marathon ready in just five months, and before Christmas the longest run he had completed was a 5km, the BBC reports.
Ceri curated a special training plan for Lloyd, which included a long run every week so that he got used to being on his feet for several hours on end.
His marathon bid was helped by Special Olympics GB, where Lloyd is also a gymnast and a footballer.
