Kevin Sinfield completes seven ultramarathons with Old Trafford finish

Sir Kevin Sinfield completed seven ultramarathons in seven days on Saturday, finishing at Old Trafford before the Super League Grand Final. BBC News reported that his final ultramarathon challenge ended with the former Leeds Rhinos player carrying the trophy into the stadium ahead of Warrington Wolves' meeting with Wakefield Trinity.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AblZk3Lsr1g

The challenge supported motor neurone disease causes in memory of Sinfield's friend and former teammate Rob Burrow, who died in 2024. Sinfield and his team have raised more than £13 million for the MND community since his first annual challenge in 2020, according to the BBC. That figure covers their fundraising across the years, rather than this week's event alone.

Sinfield started the event, named 7 in 7: The Grand Finale, in Hull on September 27. His route took him to all 12 Super League clubs before the finish in Manchester. Each day's running was organised into hour-long blocks covering seven kilometres, with an additional mile allowing members of the MND community to take part alongside the team.

Money raised will support six organisations: the MND Association, Leeds Hospitals Charity, My Name5 Doddie Foundation, Darby Rimmer Foundation, MND Scotland and the Irish MND Association. Sinfield addressed the Old Trafford crowd after finishing, thanking rugby league supporters for their backing of people affected by MND and saying Burrow would have been proud of the care they had shown.

The week's visitors included the Prince and Princess of Wales, who surprised Sinfield in Wakefield, and the Princess Royal. Former England football manager Sir Gareth Southgate and boxer Josh Warrington also appeared along the route. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's PM, Burrow's wife Lindsey described her pride in Sinfield and his team's efforts, while reflecting on the sadness that her husband could not be there for the finish.

Sinfield and Burrow first met at the Leeds Rhinos academy, aged 14 and 12 respectively, and later won seven titles together at the club. Saturday's finish also had another family connection for Sinfield: his son Jack was in Wakefield's side for the Grand Final, as the club sought its first top-flight title since 1968.