Retired paralympian Liam Malone has overcome incredible pain to cross the finish line at the Hawke's Bay marathon.
Liam Malone completing the Hawke's Bay marathon Photo: Photosport Ltd 2018 www.photosport.nz
Retired New Zealand paralympian Liam Malone has completed his first marathon, bounding down the finish chute into Sileni Estates Winery.
On the same blades that won him two golds and a silver medal at the Rio Paralympics in 2016 - they weren't made for the longest run that Malone has ever encountered.
After finishing the race Malone was greeted by a medical team for treatment where he spoke about believing in mind over matter when the pain he endured during the race nearly got he better of him.
"That is definitely one of the tougher things I have ever done, it was easy in terms of my fitness, that was fine," said Malone.
"I ran the first half in 1:45 which I was really happy with and was feeling good, but I was struggling to hold the pain anymore and it really slowed me down. I had to stop, walk, then stop, then try and run and it was just too much, it was challenging for sure."
Traditionally a sprinter, the 42km Hawke's Bay marathon proved challenging for the 24-year-old placing 256th out of 297 runners and declaring he will never run a race of this magnitude again.
Liam Malone receiving medical attention after finishing Hawke's Bay marathon Photo: Photosport Ltd 2018 www.photosport.nz
Renowned for his positive attitude and fighting spirit though, it served him well as he finished in a time of four hours and 47 minutes.
"There was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to finish, I was always going to finish, I could have crawled," said Malone.
"Along the way I was skipping because I was in so much pain in my left leg, I was trying to take the weight off it.
"I broke it into small milestones in the distance and said - I have to get to there, and then the next one and I just kept going like that."
- RNZ
