Kevin Sinfield surpassed his fundraising target of £777,777 in aid of motor neurone disease after the penultimate day of his Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge.
The former Leeds Rhinos captain is aiming to run around 40 miles for seven successive days and – after completing day six at Bradford’s University of Bradford Stadium on Friday – he had raised more than £1 million.
Sinfield, 42, who started out on the sixth leg from York Minster on Friday morning, was met by close friend and former Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow at Headingley Stadium.
Burrow, diagnosed with MND in late 2019, has again been the inspiration behind Sinfield’s latest fund-raising challenge, along with former Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir and ex-Bradford captain Stephen Darby, who also live with the disease.
Sinfield, who started his challenge in Edinburgh on Sunday, forced back the tears when he spoke alongside Burrow at Headingley Stadium.
He said: “Wherever we’ve been it’s been incredible and it keeps getting better and better.
“It’s great to be almost home, at my rugby home. I think you all understand what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.
“I know you’re all stood side-to-side with us, just like we’ve tried to do for Rob, Lindsey and the family. Our team can’t thank you enough.
“The support and the awareness we’ve created, the money we’ve raised, we’ll find a cure for this disease. I don’t know when, but we all keep fighting together. We’ll get there.”
The BBC has been following the former rugby star’s journey with a live camera on the back of one of the bikes.
They caught the hilarious moment Sinfield stopped for a pit stop today.
Watch it below:
Related: Raab’s conflicts with staff caused Afghanistan evacuation delays
