'Blistered' couple set to finish Olympic sports challenge

A couple who are attempting to complete 96 individual Olympic events said they were "bruised, battered and blistered" but determined to finish the challenge.

Charlotte Nichols and Stuart Bates are taking on the feat during the 17 days of Tokyo 2020 for charity.

The Spennylympic fundraiser is in memory of Mr Bates' brother, Spencer - known as Spenny - who died in 2011 of motor neurone disease aged 49.

So far they have raised £79,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Miss Nichols, a Bristol University medical student and Mr Bates, from Abingdon in Oxfordshire, had initially set a goal to raise £10,000 for the charity.

As yet, they have completed 60 of the Olympic sports including skateboarding, climbing, a 149 mile (240km) cycle, a 6 mile (10km) swim and a 24 mile (40km) race walk.

Charlotte Nichols and Stuart Bates hope to complete the challenge while athletes compete in Tokyo 2020

Miss Nichols said: "Sometimes you're just hurting so much.

"There was a point on the cycle when we'd done 150km and we still had 90km to go.

"I was so exhausted I just didn't know if I could do it. I just stopped and cried."

Mr Bates' brother Spencer had motor neurone disease and died ten years ago

Mr Bates was thrown from his horse during cross country and Miss Nichols had to be rescued while windsurfing due to a phobia of fish.

• Couple attempts to take part in each Olympic sport

"We have been sent so many messages from people living with this disease or from their families," Mr Bates said.

"It gives us an awful lot of pride but also so much motivation. We woke up yesterday and our bodies were in pieces, but we read a few messages from these people and we got up, dusted ourselves off and got out."

'Grit of Olympians'

University of Bristol pro-vice chancellor for student experience Sarah Purdy said: "Charlotte and Stuart have the grit of Olympians and the hearts to match.

"The whole university is rooting for them."

The challenge will end on Sunday with events taking place in Bristol, Oxford, London, Reading and Dorset.