Man completes own London Marathon – 200 miles away

Kalem Bennett completed his own 26 miles in three hours and 58 minutes

An athlete who completed his own London Marathon 200 miles from the capital said he was "spurred on" by being rejected from the main event.

Wheelchair racer Kalem Bennett, 20, took to a park in Hull to record a time of three hours and 58 minutes.

Mr Bennett was initially accepted for the event, but had to withdraw after organisers said he had not reached the times required for the racing wheelchair competitors.

On Sunday, he took to the roads from his home in Sproatley, East Yorkshire, before completing the 26 miles of his "Hullathon" around East Park.

Mr Bennett said missing out on racing in London was "a bit annoying" because he had spent months in training.

"It's not just an event where you can train for two weeks and then you're prepared.

"My training has been tough and takes a lot of dedication," he said.

Family and supporters accompanied him as he made his way to East Park on Sunday morning, while a support runner accompanied him throughout the event.

Kalem Bennett raised money for the Tigers Trust charity

Mr Bennett said he was "proud" of persevering and completing the marathon, despite the setback of not being able to compete in London.

"It was tough to be told that I wasn't allowed to be in London to do it but that just spurred me on to do the marathon in my own way," he said.

Despite finding it "challenging to keep up momentum", Mr Bennett described crossing the finish line as "amazing".

He was raising money for the Tigers Trust, a charity linked to Hull City, where he is studying on a football community coaching course.

So far he has raised hundreds of pounds for the trust, which he said "means a lot" to him.

"It helps young adults and children and also helps all to feel included in sport and the community," he added.

He trained for three months using the trust's facilities, including a treadmill.

Despite missing out on this year's race he hopes to compete in the London Marathon in 2026.

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