Ultra-runner James Mwaura has retained his title of last man running at the Wings for Life World Run, Kenya edition.
Mwaura run an impressive 60 kilometers to earn him the 12th position globally out of 206,000 runners.
The Wings for Life World Run is a global charity event that aims to raise funds for spinal cord injury research.
The unique aspect of the race is that there is no set finish line, and runners are pursued by a virtual Catcher Car, which starts 30 minutes after the runners.
The Catcher Car then gradually increases its speed, and when it passes a runner, their race is over. The last person running in each country are celebrated as the country winners.
In a post-race interview, Mwaura mentioned that he believes his purpose is to make the world a better place, and the Wings for Life World Run helps him make that a reality.
Mwaura, who did 38kms last year ranking position 7,280 globally, attributed his major improvement to consistent and regular training as well as experience in participating in competitions such as Run Across Kenya which was 956km long.
Japan’s Jo Fukuda and Poland’s Katarzyna Szkoda emerged the top men’s and women’s overall global winners respectively. Fokuda ran an impressive 69.01km while Skoda ran 55.3kms.
Fukoda, now a two-time event winner, said: “I injured myself two months ago and couldn’t practice enough – so I could tell it was going to be a tough race. But I had a very strong will to win again, and that pushed me to keep going. The Wings for Life World Run is a very special event for me because I can give courage and impact others in a positive way with something I love – running.”
Following her victory, Szkoda, who ran in Poznań, Poland, said: “This feeling is sensational; it was one of the best feelings in my life! I had information on the route that I was the first here in Poznań, and later that I was first globally, but somehow it didn’t quite reach me. I guess I need some time to process that!”
The 2023 edition of Wings for Life World Run also marked a milestone with entry fees and donations totalling €5,802,595, and 100 per cent of all entry fees and donations going directly to spinal cord research.
