Leeds Rhinos legend Kevin Sinfield smashes his £77,777 MND fundraising target by £2.2MILLION

Kevin Sinfield has raised an incredible £2.2million for the Motor Neurone Disease Association after running seven marathons in seven days, smashing his target of £77,777.

The Leeds Rhinos legend undertook the challenge in support of his former team-mate and close friend Rob Burrow, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2019.

He reached the £1m mark after completing his final marathon on Monday but more donations from members of the public have taken that figure up to a staggering £2.2m.  

Kevin Sinfield has now raised £2.2million for the Motor Neurone Disease Association after running seven marathons in seven days

Sinfield admitted he was ‘blown away’ after reaching the £1m mark during his final 26.2mile run on Monday and he received a hero’s reception from locals as he crossed the line close to his home in Saddleworth.  

‘I’m overwhelmed,’ said the 40-year-old Rhinos director of rugby. ‘I’m just so happy we got it done.

‘After the first day we were all a bit worried we had bitten off more than we can chew. But the donations, the support, just fuelled that last run.

The Leeds Rhinos legend completed his final marathon on Monday and said he was blown away by the support he received 

Former Leeds Rhinos star Rob Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last year

‘Right at the start we were worried we might not get £77k, let alone what we have done. To raise over £1m, we are blown away. I can’t thank people enough.

‘Rob has been an inspiration for us. We have all been so proud of wearing this vest for our good mate and his family, but also for the MND Association, they do so many good things.

‘This will make such a difference for so many families across the UK. The sooner there is a cure for this disease the better because it’s the cruellest of cruel diseases.’

The target of £77,777 had been set because Burrow wore the No 7 shirt during his time with the Rhinos. 

The 40-year-old finished his last marathon with a time of three hours and 41 minutes

Sinfield, who captained Burrow for 13 years at Leeds before his retirement in 2015, was greeted by his friend at the finish line of his fifth marathon at Headingley on Saturday. 

Burrow said: ‘Kev has always been a role model for me, and someone who I hold in the highest regard. It means everything to me.’ 

Sinfield completed the final run in an impressive three hours and 41 minutes – his times varying only from 3hr 35m to 3hr 48m throughout his monumental week, which he did with five friends.

He added: ‘It has been the best week of my life – to be back in a team and have a challenge like this, getting ready every day to go again and fight like Rob has got to do. 

Sinfield captained Burrow for 13 years at Leeds before he retired from the game in 2015

‘My wife said to me, ‘If somebody offered to double it would you do it again?’ and in an instant I said, ‘Yeah, absolutely’.

‘However busted and broken I am now, I do it because that’s what mates do – they look out for each other. I’d have done it no matter what – even if I had to crawl – because it meant that much to me.

‘There will be a bit of a lull tomorrow, we will miss it. We might just meet back down at 7am again and go for another run!

‘But in a couple of years we will look back with a great deal of pride on being able to help people.’