A Briton’s declare to be the primary particular person to run the size of Africa has been contested by a Danish man, who says he beat him to it 14 years in the past.
Russ Prepare dinner, from Worthing, West Sussex, completed his gruelling 352-day run from South Africa to Tunisia on Sunday, travelling near 16,000km (9,941 miles) on foot.
However Jesper Kenn Olsen, a 52-year-old Danish ultrarunner, mentioned the ‘Hardest Geezer’s’ claims he’s the primary to run throughout the continent are fallacious, as he accomplished the same journey in 2010.
A member of the World Runners Affiliation (WRA), Mr Olsen ran from Taba, Egypt to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.
He set off on 28 December, 2008, and completed in March 2010 after working near 13,000km (7,948 miles) over 434 days.
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Briton runs total size of Africa
Whereas Mr Olsen was stuffed with reward for Mr Prepare dinner’s “unimaginable achievement,” he added “that is extra about getting the information right”.
“For me, it isn’t a lot about whether or not I am the primary or second or what have you ever, as a result of clearly, for us, the principle factor is the runs around the globe,” the runner mentioned.
“It is far more necessary that you just maintain the honour than whether or not you’re primary, two or three. Nevertheless, so far as I perceive, he is positively the quickest.”
Jesper Kenn Olsen ran the size of Africa 14 years earlier than Russ Prepare dinner. Pic: PA
The WRA – comprised of seven members who efficiently circumnavigated the world on foot – additionally claimed to have tried to contact Mr Prepare dinner to say that Mr Olsen and two different members, Serge Girard from France and Tony Mangan from Eire, had additionally accomplished the problem beforehand.
The ‘Hardest Geezer’ set off from the southernmost level of South Africa, Cape Agulhas. He additionally completed additional north than Mr Olsen, ran practically 2,000 extra miles and beat his time by 82 days.
Mr Olsen, who solely learnt in regards to the ‘Hardest Geezer’ two weeks in the past, additionally mentioned the “hallmark” of ultramarathon working is “that you just at all times recognise who got here earlier than”.
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Russ Prepare dinner’s route from South Africa to Tunisia, which he managed in 352 days of working.
Talking to Good Morning Britain in regards to the WRA’s statements, Mr Prepare dinner mentioned: “I have not heard something about it to be truthful.
“However there’s loads of folks earlier than me who’ve accomplished plenty of large runs and kudos to all of them as a result of they’re large challenges, so nothing however respect actually.”
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Fellow WRA member Marie Leautey additionally mentioned “it has to do with sportsmanship” and added: “He has accomplished a improbable run and we actually need to applaud him for it and say congratulations, however we additionally don’t need Jesper’s run to be written off from historical past as a result of it does not really feel proper.”
She additionally mentioned the WRA “obtained numerous abuse from folks” for fact-checking Mr Prepare dinner’s run, however added she needs to ask him to affix the elite group of runners.
“The door may be very open for Russ and we might like to speak to him as properly,” Ms Leautey mentioned. “What he is accomplished is nice and he is extraordinarily inspirational.”
